Deeper Than Brotherhood
by Demitria Miriam
Summary: 10 years ago, Sesshomaru asked if Inuyasha would like to come home. 10 years later, one morning, things change when both discover a love deeper than familial bonds. SessxInu. Shounenai. Complete.
1. Recourse

Title: Deeper Than Brotherhood  
Author: Demitria Miriam  
Rating: R  
Pairing: Sesshomaru x Inuyasha (main)  
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha and make no money off of this piece of fiction.

Summary: His comrades had all but dispersed, all safe in their rightful places in the world (or eras, considering). Sesshomaru had offered Inuyasha his rightful place back in the family's palace, the offer of brotherhood abound. However, one morning things change drastically when both discover a love deeper than familial bonds. SesshxInu. Shonen-ai.

* * *

**Chapter 1: Recourse, an Intro**

It had been one year after Naraku had been disposed of and the Shikon no Tama had been wished to vanish into the darkness in which it originated, never to return again. The land had celebrated, and had fought off demons that had gone rampant after the destruction of that which they had a longing for. However, that was the easiest thing to deal with for a certain hanyou warrior.

The hardest things had been letting go of his pack and allowing them to move on in life. It still hurt tremendously when he thought of the day Kagome had left for good. But at the same time he felt a happiness that he couldn't really describe in allowing her to go her own way, to live a life that wasn't so primitive to what she knew, even if she did love him (as he did her).

He was thankful that he was at least able to see her to her own time... even if he, as well as their friends, had not been able tot give her a proper farewell... The well... or perhaps it was the will of the Shikon no Tama, that had sucked him back into the well before he was able to say goodbye, or even... convey how he felt about her... It was one thing to have closure with someone regarding a feeling, never mind having the piece of mind with oneself, but to be hanging between knowing and not having that closure... it was maddening, frustrating... tiring.

But at least he knew that she was more than likely living her life to its happy potential back in the modern world, the Bone Eaters Well having all but caved in, never to allow re-admittance to, or emerging from, again. However, regardless of that, Inuyasha had sat by the well days, weeks, months after, a deep sort of depression that could only be described by his friends as "a man with a broken heart" emanating from his very soul.

It had been sad to watch, but even though his friends had tried everything they could to coax the hanyou away from, metaphorically, Kagome's grave, that's really all they could do, at least until their wayward friend found something, anything to live for again. Sure, he'd wander away from the place the girl from the future had emerged from for a while, but it was never truly with purpose, and he'd somehow always manage to find himself there again in the morning.

However, while it took a few months, the half-demon slowly yet surely left the grave by his own will, whether it was because he had to save his village from destruction from a roaming youkai, or visit his other friends while they went on with their lives as well.

And soon Inuyasha had begun to find his own life, first by protecting the village and other ones that had ties and treaties with them, then moving up a notch with roaming a little wider, traveling to visit Sango and Miroku and their small army of a family over in the Demon Slayers village.

Throughout the year since the Shikon no Tama had been completed and Kagome had left, Inuyasha had run into his brother periodically, since the youkai did a great deal of traveling from his home and roaming the world, to visiting Rin. The girl had been staying with Kaede for only two weeks at a time before she'd return to her lord's company for the following month. She had slowly yet surely been learning the ways of the miko and would continue to do so until she finished her studies and was ready to become a woman. And through those brief moments where they'd run into each other, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru would stop to converse a little more and more each time, as if feeling out the others presence and who they were even though they were blood related by fact and knew the other through history. Each time Inuyasha could sense that Sesshomaru meant to say more, but the cold youkai would always stare at him before slightly inclining his head and bidding the hanyou goodbye.

That is, until the day that Sesshomaru had asked Inuyasha to stay with him, to come back home.

* * *

Author's Note: So this entire fic is... basically a "recollection" or "past story" of Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's first steps into a more than familial bond. 8D


	2. Wounded

**Chapter 2: Wounded**

_1 year after the Defeat of Naraku_

The event that seemed to be what spurred Sesshomaru into asking his little brother to come home had began exactly one year after Naraku's defeat.

Inuyasha had been wandering aimlessly through the forest for a few hours, bleeding and lethargic, having to defend himself from a few straggling demons every now and then that wanted to make an evening snack out of him. It was almost nightfall, and the night of the full moon, so by his standards he should have been at his absolute strongest since this night paralleled his night of weakness. Yet regardless he still limped and staggered his way home from Sango and Miroku's, now just on the outskirts of the forest that was named after him...

He was so close to home... just a forest (and lethargy and pain and blood) between him and his destination...

So close...

But he couldn't help but feel that tiny flicker of doubt that had been lying dormant in his belly for the past few hours. It broiled to life within his stomach, crawling up the inside of his body and into his throat. If he didn't make it home tonight, soon... he might not be able to protect himself if the mate of that snake youkai he had battled and killed earlier decided to come after him for revenge. While he had won that fight, he didn't escape it unscathed. His torso had a hole through it, one of his ankles had been broken and one of his ears almost sliced off when that damn snake had tried to swallow him whole, head first.

Though regardless of the pain he was in, regardless if his limbs were still intact if only by a thin thread of flesh and muscle, he had to at least _try_ to get home... Inuyasha thought stubbornly determined, continuing to limp his way home. He made sure to put the majority of his weight on his right side, leaning against a long limb of tree he had found earlier, which so far had successfully sported as a crutch of sorts since his right ankle had quite possibly been shattered.

An hour later and he was only a fourth of the way through the Forest of Inuyasha, only able to move at the pace of a sickly old human man. He scoffed at his stupid, weak, hanyou self before resigning to the inevitable and crashing to the ground.

The hanyou groaned, unsure if it was because of the pain, his frustration or exhaustion. _Fuck..._

Well if he was going to be stuck out in the middle of a forest filled of predators, and in someone else's decay and both of their blood no less, he might as well wash some of the wounds before finding some old tree to either climb up or sleep in if the roots permitted.

Trying his best to sniff around the death and tang of blood coating his person, he searched for a bigger source of water, and found that he couldn't scent much more THAN the death and blood upon his body. His ears went lax around his head in defeat.

Damn it all.

A noise from within the surrounding darkness hit his senses a moment later, escalating them into overdrive, seemingly yelling out RED ALERT! RED ALERT! as his ears swiveled side to side trying to pinpoint the sound. He could feel the raw youki of whatever demon was currently hunting him from within the confines of the forest.

Inuyasha tried to take up as defensive of position as he could from where he was on the ground, baring his fangs and cracking his claws at the intruder, and trying not to look so pathetically hanyouish (though that was kind of hard to pull off). He fondled the hilt of Tetsusaiga while still growling as he struggled to stand up. Once on his feet, the half-demon pushed his crutch away, wincing horribly when the slightest bit of weight was put on his ankle.

The sound of movement suddenly stopped but Inuyasha's ears, breath and heart rate did not.

"Inuyasha?" came the velvety, and thankfully very familiar, voice of his brother.

Inuyasha's heart dropped heavily from his throat to his stomach. FUCKING HELLS. Thank Buddha, it was only Sesshomaru... With that thought in mind his lungs started to pull air in and out, faster and faster until the point where, as he watched his older brother's blurry, white silhouette walk in to his line of sight, his lungs seemed to come to a stop, eyes giving way to blankness and mind unable to find any purchase on anything coherent.

There was nothing but black then.

Chapter end.


	3. Nursed

**Chapter 3: Nursed**

_1 year after the Defeat of Naraku_

He woke up to the sound of tweeting birds, a cool, light breeze whispering about his face as the smell of cooking fish jump started the rest of his senses...

Inuyasha cracked his eyes open, taking in a breath and wincing at the pain in his chest. He moved a clawed hand up his torso feeling for the damage. Broken ribs, a large patch of sensitive, new flesh trying desperately to cover the wounds from his latest battle... And... cloth?

The hanyou sluggishly managed to sit up and prop himself against a fallen trunk, and, before he got a chance to examine the extent of his injuries, a white blob in his peripheral vision caught his attention. His head darted to the right and his neck groaned in protest, as did the half-demon.

_Sesshomaru!_ Inuyasha's brain reminded him of his brother's rather sneaky appearance before he'd kissed the ground and blacked out. The hanyou squinted, head pounding as he slowly put thoughts together, curious as to why the youkai was still here... sitting beside him... on the ground... in his perfect white robes, with his immaculate hair and his gaudy fluffy thing and the enviously billowing pants...- His pants didn't billow like that... the hanyou frowned unpleasantly to himself.

"Eat," Sesshomaru interrupted the younger inu's inner rant, motioning forward to the smell of cooking fish. Correction, there were two fish cooking by the fire, skewered of their bones, leaving only the meaty part of them to warm in the flames lashes.

His head still muddled (and even slower than usual), Inuyasha did as instructed and picked one of the sticks out from the fire and began nibbling on it. Before long, the stick was no better than tinder for the flames, completely clean of all gooey, yummy fishy remnants. Though by sound of its gurgling protest, Inuyasha's stomach was anything but satisfied, the half-demon realized, eyes heavy. Inuyasha looked thoughtful for a moment before he realized he was also strangely tired, not to mention the fact that the second fish seemed to be even bigger than the first one he had, meatier, too.

Inuyasha glanced at Sesshomaru from the corner of his eyes, conspiring already to steal the fish when the youkai wasn't paying attention...

"I have already dined," came the imperial tone. Not a second later and Inuyasha dove for the second fish, chewing at it a bit hastier than his last morsel.

Throwing the last twig into the fire, the hanyou took the time to observe his surroundings, as well as himself. It seemed his white shatsu was gone... well, actually now that he looked closer, it was actually on him... just in... sliced strips... around his torso...

The hanyou's eyes bugged suddenly at how they could have possible gotten there... or who'd taken his top off... and then sliced his white undergarment into strips... and then wrapped them around the hanyou's injuries...

_Sweet baby Budda... _the hanyou whispered internally.

Sesshomaru couldn't have... possibly bandaged him, could he? Never mind that, but he'd have had to wash the wounds before covering them as well as all that... other stuff... right?

The half-demon blushed, maneuvering his body slowly so that his back was to his brother. He did NOT need the cold youkai to see any form of discomfort or embarrassment from him.

Ugh, just what he needed, to be indebted to Sesshomaru... maybe if he played dumb and thought he put the bandages on himself?

Nevertheless, he needed to get home, it had to be about mid night the way the moon was positioned and if he were to make it back no one would worry and he could pretend that his brother didn't have a nice side to his cold, creepy, stubborn ass of a personality and everyone could go on living like they had been. Yep, that would totally work.

Nodding in affirmation, Inuyasha prepared to look like he was okay regardless of the excruciating pain running throughout his body as he tried to stand up.

He managed to get to his knees before feeling woozy and out-of-focus, and falling, face first, into the dirt again before promptly seeing black.

He never noticed that the taste the fish had been slightly off and that they'd been given a very low concentrate of Sesshomaru's poison, thus rendering the hanyou into a rejuvenating sleep with him completely unawares.

~ * ~

Chapter end.


	4. Protected

**Chapter 4: Protected**

_1 year after the Defeat of Naraku_

The next morning Inuyasha woke up to the smell of burnt tinder, his mind slowly climbing through the sleepy fog it was encased in as he felt blotches of sunlight making stars behind his eyelids. He could hear the distinct screech of birds freaking out throughout the tree canopies. However, underneath all of the ruckus and scents, an underlying hiss slithered in the background.

Ears twitched as the hanyou slid his eyes open, the process of waking up being a little easier this time around, though his eyesight was still a little hazy. A clawed hand wiped away the protective layer of eye snot from his golden orbs, allowing Inuyasha to look around blearily as he slowly sat up, wincing only just a little.

He blinked rapidly when he caught sight of what was only a few yards in front of him, not sure if he was still in a dream (nightmare, rather) or not.

There stood Sesshomaru, with his back to Inuyasha and facing a snake demon (probably the mate of the one Inuyasha had battled with and killed the other day). They looked like they were arguing over something, or at least the snake seemed to be, hissing and spitting the way it was. Sesshomaru's posture was one of complete calm and boredom, his stance going as far as having his arms tucked into either of his sleeves, like he didn't have a care in the world and felt the youkai in front of him wasn't even worth the effort of being on guard.

Inuyasha snorted to himself. _Keh, smug bastard._

Granted, Sesshomaru could easily (huge understatement) take on the low level snake demon if he wanted to, but it seemed that peace was taking preference over Sesshomaru's usual impatient nature this time... Why, Inuyasha wasn't exactly sure.

Suddenly a thunderous roar emitted from the furious snake and Inuyasha's eyes widened as his mouth opened soundlessly. The snake seemed to be highly aggravated with whatever it was Sesshomaru said, taking things up a notch and making an attempt at a deadly strike on its victim.

That is, if the victim was anyone less than an amoeba.

Inuyasha heard his brother's soft snort before the youkai lord simply sidestepped, jumping half-heartedly into the air, before pulling out Bakusaiga and slicing downward.

The snake was dead before it realized Sesshomaru had moved.

The inuyoukai's boots met the ground in a graceful manner that Inuyasha had always been secretly envious of. And then the stuck-up demon opened his mouth and the affect was completely ruined in the hanyou's opinion.

"Hn. As if a lowly snake would even be capable of touching this Sesshomaru."

Inuyasha mentally groaned while physically smacking a clawed hand into his head, before verbally griping as he managed to stand up and addressing his prissy sibling, "Yeah, well this Inuyasha thinks _this__ Sesshomaru _sounds like an idiot talking like that. I mean seriously, who, besides you, talks like that?"

Sesshomaru turned around coolly, regarding the half-demon with a deadpanned look as he walked toward him. "Inuyasha, you ought not to speak that way to the one who kept you from death this day's eve."

"Keh, I didn't ask you for help."

Sesshomaru came to a halt in front of the hanyou, regarding his sibling's condition. "Indeed," was the placid response before he continued to walk past the hanyou.

Inuyasha blinked, whirling sideways. Where was he going now? "H-hey! Where are you-?"

"To retrieve Rin."

"Bu-" and then Inuyasha realized where they were. He was... just outside of his village...

Whoa. Sesshomaru had... carried him all the way through Inuyasha's Forest? And… made him dinner and bandaged him the night before? Not to mention protected his unconscious form from that snake that probably wanted to squeeze his eyeballs and entrails out through each and every one of his body's orifices.

_WHOA._ Inuyasha's mind was swimming.

Granted, Sesshomaru and he had stopped trying to kill each other a long time ago but that didn't defeat the fact that they still fought and bickered almost constantly about something or other regardless if they, every so RARE often, did favors for the other. Favors like watching Sesshomaru's brat and protecting her when he wasn't around. Likewise, Sesshomaru would help (not SAVE) Inuyasha when a demon seemed to be a little too much for the hanyou alone.

But again, that still didn't negate the fact that it was Sesshomaru... he was still cold and ruthless when he wanted to be, and definitely prickly as hell all the time... So then why the hell would he DO all of this?

Frick, frick, frickity _frick-frick! _The hanyou was itching with curiosity and he needed clarification… he couldn't just not hear it from-

"Hey, Sesshomaru, did you-"

"Inuyasha," Sesshomaru started, stopping in mid-stride and angling his neck so his penetrating gaze landed on his brother.

Inuyasha all of a sudden forgot what he was going to say.

"Would you like to... return home?"

~ * ~

Chapter end.


	5. Stalked

**Chapter 5: Stalked**

So it happened that Sesshomaru really did mean "home." Home as in back to his palace, back to the place their father had grown up and lived out his life. However, the transition from rogue, hanyou warrior to prince, heir to Sesshomaru's titles and property if something were to happen to him, was not an easy one. A few guards of the castle, never mind half the kingdom, in particular were not happy about "a half-breed stepping foot on the grounds and stinking the place up with its stench".

No, that was not an easy time for the young hanyou, but neither was it for those that opposed Sesshomaru and his decision to have his brother, his blood, live at his side.

- - -

_1 year, and a week, after the Defeat of Naraku_

He'd been there for all of five days and already he had had to deal with attempts on his life. Most were petty and rather stupid, like the one where someone put poison in his food. He got a hoot out of just thinking about it, guffawing out loud that he may be a half-demon but he still had the blood of the Inu no Taishou running through his veins, the old man himself a great daiyoukai who had been a revered great DOG demon general. However, there were those few close calls that he'd had, such as the time when he was running late for lunch and couldn't find the dining hall.

A random servant had _innocently_ given him the wrong directions to which he found himself in the training room, surrounded by seven or so angry guards with grudges against humans and anything that they spawned. Or touched. Or looked at. Or breathed on. Or-

They had swords, too. Ones which they openly bared at him as if to intimidate someone who was "surely weaker".

Inuyasha could have fallen backwards laughing. It was all too obvious the youkai before him hadn't heard or bothered to hear about his travels, about his accomplishments... had they, they might not have been as shocked as they were when he withdrew the Tetsusaiga.

Though, while it would have probably been easier if they all stood in line and took turns coming at him (in the hanyou's own humble opinion), they all decided to make things a lot more difficult and charged him all at once, each getting a few good tries at "pin the hanyou with your sword" before one lost a hand, two more lost their legs and one poor guy lost his life.

Unfortunately, Inuyasha couldn't give himself all the credit for that little victory... He had only managed to cut off the one guy's hand while the others' fates belonged to a freak cyclone that came out of no where.

_Hurricane Sesshomaru_, red-eyed and markings jagged and swollen, tore through the barricaded shoji before doing the same to the traitorous guards. Inuyasha could only stand still in wonder, realizing that his brother really did deserve most of the credit for saving his hanyou ass that time around, especially since there had been more guards (only about four or five) hiding behind some crates, just waiting to get their own special time with the little half-breed scum.

However, when all was said and done, and the guards' unconscious bodies moved to the dungeons by ones more trustworthy and Sesshomaru's punishment (as if the beating wasn't enough of one) pending, it was fairly easy for Inuyasha to see that his brother's nerves were a little frazzled...

With a snarl, the daiyoukai turned on Inuyasha, completely incensed. How the half-breed could be so dense was beyond his imagination's reach! Now it seemed that not only would there be attempts on Rin's life, simply for being a human in his Household, but there would also be those out for Inuyasha's blood, too!

"How you've managed to stay alive this long with your incompetency is completely beyond me, hanyou!"

At that, Inuyasha's temper flared to life. He dove forward, swiping Tetsusaiga at his brother's neck, but instead of slicing flesh his blade met with Bakusaiga's, a vicious clanging reverberating against the walls. The venting session continued until both participants were physically and mentally exhausted, coming up their usual excuses as to why they didn't continue beating the hell out of the other, and then going their separate ways.

And with that incident Sesshomaru and Inuyasha avoided each other for the next couple of days, at least that's what Inuyasha thought his brother was doing. He didn't realize that the attempts on his life still continued but were almost always intercepted by Sesshomaru himself who had been shadowing the hanyou as much as he could until he found those within his guard that he felt he could trust, eliminating the ones he could not.

Inuyasha meanwhile walked carelessly around the entire palace, exploring the places he hadn't been to yet and filing them into memory before bounding off to his next adventure. While it annoyed Sesshomaru to no end that his half-brother could be so asinine as to walk around like a curious pup and not know of the dangers that had continuously threatened his life since the first guard incident, the daiyoukai was... _thankful, _for the one day that the hanyou's curiosities of his palace had brought him to where he was probably, and more than likely, meant to be.

~ * ~

Chapter end.


	6. Diversion

**Chapter 6: Diversion**

_1 year, and two weeks, after the Defeat of Naraku_

It was a sunny afternoon when it happened.

Sesshomaru had been trailing Inuyasha towards the back of the palace as inconspicuously as he could, noting that his brother seemed to be moving toward the gardens on instinct. That was when three guards came rushing towards Sesshomaru, bringing urgent news.

It seemed that a mob of angry demons from all over the daiyoukai's land had come and gathered at the front gate, ready to break through if they didn't get an audience with Sesshomaru regarding the hanyou residing within the castle's walls and inheriting the title of the elder's heir until he sired his own offspring. Sesshomaru growled lowly, torn between following his idiot of a brother and going to take care of the current predicament at hand.

The predicament won not a second later when he came to the conclusion that if he were to rid himself of this mob perhaps it would alleviate any other assassins after Inuyasha's life...

The daiyoukai then ordered the three guards present to watch over Inuyasha while he attended to business in the front of the house. Sesshomaru left hastily, never noticing that he had only been concerned of the threat beyond his doors and not the threat that was surely already inside his home.

He rushed to the grand entrance, passing servants and other guards in his wake... not pausing to fully think of why the guards he was passing were just milling around his home and not taking care of the problem supposedly out front. Surely a mob of angry demons was a sight that none could ignore...?

That's when he stopped mid blur through the corridors, startling all those around him.

One word whispered through his mind suddenly. _Diversion._

Sesshomaru's eyes creased, widening slightly at his sudden epiphany. How... could he have been so dense? Had he not been so focused on ending all assassinations on those in his household... he would have realized that he hadn't recognized the scents of the guards that told him of the mob out front! A mob that surely did not even exist if how laid back everyone in the hallways seemed to be!

Without another thought, Sesshomaru whirled around, charging back the way he came, hoping he would make it in time.

~ * ~

Chapter end.


	7. Savior

**Chapter 7: ****Savior**

_1 year, and two weeks, after the Defeat of Naraku_

Rin was 8 years old now, and while she had grown up nicely in the care of her beloved Sesshomaru-sama, she still ached to be in nature, around flowers and trees. She had been making flower crowns in the garden for the entire afternoon, hoping her lord was busy enough to let her play a little longer and not lecture her about staying on top of her studies.

Oh! And it was such a nice day, too! The sun was shining, the birds were tweeting and the flowers were blooming, but more importantly, Rin was happy. She enjoyed traveling with Sesshomaru-sama around the Great Island but like any human she could not resist the inescapable need to stay in one place, to have a home and simply _live_there. This palace had become like a home to Rin, and she relished each day she was able to appreciate it.

There was a sudden thump behind her. Rin turned around to look at what the noise had been, half-expecting Inuyasha-san to have flopped down from one of the branches above her, where he was usually apt to sleep in the afternoons...

But it wasn't Inuyasha-san.

A large youkai whom she had never seen before crouched before her, snarling, nostrils flaring.

"Humans have no right to taint this land with their stench," it hissed. "You may be just a child but better to be rid of you before you fester and mature into one of those uncultured wretches! Die!" The youkai drew back to its full height, pulling a long dagger out of its belt and preparing to strike.

Rin's brown eyes could only widen, a soundless scream stuck in the back of her throat. Her hands shook, a pretty flower crown still stuck between them, as she realized she couldn't find the strength in her legs to even dive to the side of the oncoming attack. She was just... frozen.

The youkai brought the dagger down.

Rin winced, her eyes shutting as if that would help dull the oncoming pain.

A rush of wind picked up and a clang was heard.

Rin opened her eyes and looked up, the sun temporarily blinding her so she could only see the silhouette of her executioner... and that of her savior.

Inuyasha stood over her, his Tetsusaiga drawn, not fully transformed yet still effective and blocking the razor sharp dagger from flying any further. The offending youkai yelled out venomously, hissing obscenities at the "half-breed" as it struggled against the impressive power of the otherwise dull-looking Fang before drawing back and mentally calculating another attack against the human child.

Inuyasha kept his sword in front of him and the girl on the ground behind him, gradually maneuvering forward so that there was more distance between the demon and the one he was more than likely here to assassinate.

"Don't even think about it, asshole," Inuyasha said warningly. He didn't know the particular reason behind it, but he knew that this girl, this _Rin_, was special to his brother, and regardless of their own bad history as siblings, Inuyasha felt... protective of her, especially when Sesshomaru wasn't around to see to her safety himself.

"Rrrrr, half-breed filth! Stay out of it! The girl is on my list and will be annihilated!" the demon roared in fury.

"Not if I have anything to say about it. You touch her and I'll kick your ass so bad your own youki won't be able to recognize you!"

"Filthy wretch!" the youkai screamed, charging forward again, making a show of going after Inuyasha first. The demon miscalculated, however. He stopped too soon, glanced at the girl to get a clear path of trajectory and flung his dagger at such an angle that it seemed to twirl around Inuyasha and head straight for Rin's chest. However, because of this five second window the demon had left open for him, Inuyasha pivoted instantly, diving to put himself in front of the blade.

He made it not a second too soon and the dagger planted itself into Inuyasha shoulder with a sickening sound of layers of flesh cracking with each tendon severing.

That did it and the frozen ice around her form, keeping her silent broke apart.

Rin screamed.

The demon chuckled darkly. At least he had the half-breed out of the way, now he could finish the... girl... off...

In his excitement the demon hadn't realized that Inuyasha, while having turned to protect Rin, had thrown his sword, untransformed still, backwards, well aimed and imbedding itself in the demon's chest.

The demon chuckled looking down at the small sword. "Fool, as if this rusty old thing could harm me. This is merely an insignificant scratch to my person!"

Inuyasha, bracing himself against Rin's shoulder, twitched slightly, turned his head, inclining it toward the demon. "Only a scratch... huh...?" the hanyou said slowly, his speech coming less quickly due to the amount of blood he was loosing, never mind the poison that the dagger seemed to have been coated in. A lazy smile crept onto the sides of his mouth before he enunciated slowly, "Tet... su... sai... ga."

The demon screamed suddenly as the meager sword transformed into a razor sharp, six-foot fang, all but piecing its heart before the monstrosity fell backwards dead.

"I- Inuyasha-san!" Rin cried out, holding onto his shoulders to help support him more. Tears started to stream down her face as she examined the amount of pain he was in.

"It's okay... he's dead... he won't be able to... hurt... you...," Inuyasha said, removing his hands from her shoulders and pushing himself up off the ground, albeit awkwardly.

"Inuyasha-san... you shouldn't be moving around, you've lost a lot of blood and that wound-"

"I'm fine..." the hanyou said before his vision faded out suddenly and his body fell backwards into oblivion.

Inuyasha didn't realize in his unconsciousness that something caught him before his body hit the ground. Something soft and strong... safe and warm.

~ * ~

Chapter end.


	8. Decision

**Chapter 8: Decision**

_1 year, and three weeks, after the Defeat of Naraku_

It was with this last incident that Sesshomaru had painstakingly made his final decision. One which Rin was... not happy with, to say the least.

It had been a week and she had not spoken a word to him since he had announced it. Seven days of silence from her was maddening when one was accustomed to her non-stop chatter and flittering about.

He would not admit it to anyone, not even to himself, but those very few that knew Sesshomaru past his facade knew that it tore at his soul.

He had given her until Inuyasha was recovered to stay with him and within the castle walls. Upon that time, Rin would be sent to live, permanently, with the old priestess in Inuyasha's village and be around her own kind, learning the ways of the ningen. He would not have her life threatened again within his Household. He didn't want to think of what had almost happened that day the youkai with the poison dagger had come to end her existence had Inuyasha not been there to deter him.

_Inuyasha..._

Sesshomaru wasn't sure what to make of his fumbling sibling... only that... he had been right to bring the hanyou back home for reasons he had yet to fully figure out. However, the more that he thought on it, the more he realized it wasn't just because he had saved Rin's life in the garden that he was glad Inuyasha was here. When he took the time to acknowledge his inner musings on the subject of the hanyou, it was the qualities that he never deemed worthy of his attention to see in the first place that finally came to light... And had he taken the time to decipher his brother from the beginning, perhaps their relationship would have been entirely different. Perhaps... they could have been comfortable in their fated brotherhood.

It was an unconventional notion upon reflection, especially since Sesshomaru had, back then, fought so hard against it, the brotherhood their great father so wished for them both to have being nothing but a forgotten concept.

Kin. Sibling.

It was a gift, his father had explained so long ago, a camaraderie only a sibling could give you. Sesshomaru had been an only pup then, and while he grew strong, he was still missing something. His father knew what it was then while it had taken the great daiyoukai four hundred years to figure out.

The bond of brotherhood.

The bond between brothers, or any sibling, really, was the knowledge that, when all others failed him, his kin, his blood, would still be there. The only being, from beginning to end, who would want nothing more than his acceptance. His love.

A confidant. A sibling. A brother. A...

Sesshomaru paused momentarily in his musings as he walked down the corridor toward Inuyasha's room where he was still resting.

Brotherhood...

Sesshomaru sighed. _It will be a long process, but perhaps we can attain a level of camaraderie before taking on such a farfetched notion as brotherhood. I will have to remember not to push his short temper while he is still healing._

Indeed, it had been a week since the dagger wielding demon had skewered the hanyou with his blade, and still Inuyasha needed more rest in order to rejuvenate his strength. Sesshomaru's Healers had never dealt with such a poison before and couldn't give even an estimated time of when the vibrant, lively half-human would be up and storming about the castle again. This troubled Sesshomaru greatly. If the poison had rendered his brother to this sickly being, he really didn't want to think of what it would have done to Rin's small, fragile, human body. It angered him enough to want to revive the corpse of the assassin and kill him again.

But, regardless, it seemed Inuyasha was healing accordingly, it was just his strength that had been zapped. That would take longer to recover. At least, that's what the Healers had stated.

Sesshomaru came upon Inuyasha's room, sliding the door to the side in a smooth movement just seconds before an object flew by his head, a nagging voice bombarding his delicate senses.

"Don't tell me what to do, you old codger! If I wanna get outta bed, I'll damn well get outta bed!"

"But young master, while your wounds have healed you need to stay fairly immobile should the poison revive in your blood stream and-"

"Keh! You're doing this," Inuyasha motioned his hand, mimicking a speaking mouth, "and I ain't gettin' anything but 'nag, nag, nag!'"

"Young master!" the old Healer scolded as the hanyou tried to get up from his bed before fumbling backwards into the cushions in a pained wince.

"Damn it! Stop touching me! I can do it myself!" Inuyasha snapped, swiping the Healer's hands away from his body.

"Inuyasha," Sesshomaru said, walking further into the room and making his presence known.

Inuyasha threw a dirty look at the Healer as the old demon tucked him into bed, before throwing the heated gaze at his brother. "Will you please tell him to leave me the hell alone!"

"I cannot do that. You were severely injured regardless if the wound was only made by a dagger. You ought to listen to him and his staff."

"Keh! I'm fine! Just a little light headed from time to time but that's nothing!"

Sesshomaru merely stared before replying with a curt, "Indeed."

"My lord, please try not to excite the young master too much. The strain will cause his heart and blood to start boiling, and his body must remain cool for the majority of at least a day. We do not want to induce his temperature to flair," the Healer informed Sesshomaru.

"Very well. Will he need a change of his bandages soon?"

"Yes, that's what I was trying to do when you walked in, my lord."

"I am right here ya know!" Inuyasha growled, offended by it all. No one talked about his well being behind his back, especially not right in front of his nose, acting like he wasn't even there!

Sesshomaru only spared him an uninterested look before turning back to the Healer.

"I assume a bath has been drawn for him before new bandages will be applied?"

"Yes, my lord. However, I am understaffed today and will have to bathe him myself without assistance."

"Like hell you are!! I've had enough of your wandering hands, ya old pervert!" Inuyasha yelled, throwing a pillow out the window in his fit of aggravation.

"Inuyasha, he is old enough to be our father's _grandfather_," Sesshomaru stated mildly.

The old Healer had the audacity to look unperturbed by, and even contemplative of, Inuyasha's chaotic hysteria.

"Hmm. It seems that this poison has had a side effect, making him paranoid and jumpy," the old demon observed, rubbing his chin in thought.

Sesshomaru waved a hand at that. "No, he has always been as such. Pay his tantrums no mind, he is still young," he finished in a manner of fact.

"Very well."

"_HEY!_"

"However, since he seems to be turning down your generosity, I will insist you take the day off from his rude blathering."

"But my lord, what about-"

"I will see to it."

"Very well, my lord. Sayonara," and with that the Healer left Inuyasha's chambers quietly.

"Yeah, see you around, ya old pervert!"

"Be silent, Inuyasha."

"H-Hey! What are you doing?!" Inuyasha stammered as Sesshomaru started to remove his armor and then his mokomoko after having placed his swords against the wall near Tetsusaiga.

"Undressing."

"WHY?!" Inuyasha roared, clutching the sheets in horror.

"Since you decided to be ungrateful of Kenji's services as one of the most knowledgeable healers in the West, you are ultimately the only one at fault here, and will have to be punished for such blatant disrespect to those in my Household."

"HOW!? By seeing you naked?! No thanks!" the hanyou yelled, blushing furiously.

Sesshomaru gave a wry grin. "No, by relying on my assistance in the bathing of yourself."

Inuyasha's surprise and mortification rendered him speechless, and he did the only thing his body was up for at this point (aside from screaming).

He passed out.

Which, really, made it easier for Sesshomaru since he could bathe the unruly hanyou in peace and not have him flailing about, trying to drown himself in the hot springs.

~ * ~

Chapter end.


	9. Understanding

**Chapter 9: Understanding**

_1 year, four weeks, and four days, after the Defeat of Naraku_

Another week had passed since Sesshomaru had bathed an unconscious Inuyasha, and Rin was still not speaking with him. She spent the majority of her time, aside from her studies, with the sickly hanyou.

Sesshomaru made it a habit to visit Inuyasha at least twice a day. Each time he did he found Rin there, but the moment he arrived she would say her goodbyes to Inuyasha and walk right past him and leave. During these visits, Sesshomaru would always ask how Inuyasha was fairing and would receive the same response.

"I don't feel good at all, asshole." The hanyou looked dejected and truly unsettled. This disturbed Sesshomaru. He called for the Healers again but they found nothing wrong with him and could only guess that the hanyou's strength had yet to return in full.

Then, three days ago, Sesshomaru had visited three times instead of only two. Upon walking down the hall to the room Inuyasha was in he heard his brother speaking hushed words to another occupant within the room.

"I don't know how long I can keep doing this. He's gonna find out soon enough, ya know."

Sesshomaru frowned. What did that mean? And who was he talking about?

"I know you're right, Inuyasha-san. Sesshomaru-sama is very smart and perhaps he's just been humoring me all this time."

_Rin._ Sesshomaru blinked, brows furrowing at the last part of her statement. Humoring her? Regarding what?

Sesshomaru paused momentarily before he moved to the shoji door, and slid it to the side.

Rin and Inuyasha went quiet, staring at him before Rin got up and did her quick ritual of running away.

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed as he watched Inuyasha's every exaggerated movement.

And then it hit him.

He had a strong suspicion that they were in cahoots with one another. That Rin and Inuyasha were conspiring to pretend that Inuyasha was still sick so that Rin was able stay longer.

Sesshomaru was furious with himself for not realizing this possibility sooner, as well as a barrage of other emotions that flitted in and out of his conscience. The most important of all of them, however, was the deep regret that he felt at having to hurt her this way.

"Give this farce up, Inuyasha, it does grow so tiresome," the demon lord said as he continued to watch Inuyasha fidget, trying to look sickly and doing a piss poor job of it now that Sesshomaru had figured out the truth.

Inuyasha huffed stubbornly before growling, "You can't blame us for trying, jerk. She doesn't wanna leave you and you're just giving her away like she's livestock!"

Sesshomaru could have backhanded the outspoken, impudent hanyou for such a statement. But then again... considering his own actions and not having discussed them in thorough extent with Rin or the hanyou before the decision was made... and now the fact that Rin refused to speak to him and the hanyou trying to help in the only way he really could… it felt as if he had been the one backhanded instead.

_...giving her away like she's livestock!_ Inuyasha's last words stung more than the daiyoukai cared to admit. He knew this. He knew it may seem like that.

Sesshomaru then did something Inuyasha had never seen his older brother do. He lowered himself to Inuyasha's bedding, sitting there and staring off into space.

Inuyasha could only stare himself at such a strange action.

Minutes flew by and the silence was almost as unbearable as the aggrieved look that fell in a shadow down Sesshomaru's face finally pushed the hanyou over the edge.

"Sesshomaru, why are you doing this to her? You-"

"You do not understand what it's like, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha blinked, figuring he oughtta throw the poor guy a bone here. "…understand what?"

Sesshomaru turned his eyes to the half-demon before him, his expression serious and pained. "To receive death threats against a ward in your Household, to deter weekly assassination attempts on one so young, merely because she's of mortal blood," Sesshomaru stated that last remark with disgust. "It was not an easy decision I had to make but I made it in order to protect her. I'd have done the same for you had you been less capable than you are, but I know that, when I cannot be around, you will be able to protect yourself more efficiently than she."

The hanyou stared, speechless.

"You believe you have only had one or two attempts on your life since you came here, Inuyasha, but allowing you to believe that any further than this moment would be a festering lie. More times than I care to count has my Household, never mind wandering assassins, come for you when you were otherwise oblivious to their presence. You were alive that day to save Rin because I kept harm from coming to you."

Inuyasha began to protest but was interrupted.

"I know you are able to fend for yourself, little brother, but that does not negate the instinctual behavior in me as alpha and older sibling to protect that which is... within my rights to protect."

Silence ensued as both participants of the room swam in their own thoughts.

After a while they looked up at the same time, catching one another's eyes and they both knew there was an understanding between them. That the little girl they both had become fond of, whether it had been over the course of a few years or a few weeks, would be safer, for the time being, in a human village.

Now it was only a matter of how they would go about telling her and getting her there.

Neither inu realized that the little girl had bonded them closer than they had ever been before.

So much to the point of where they were conversing and discussing her like they were her rightful parents.

~ * ~

Chapter end.


	10. Departure

**Chapter 10: Departure**

_1 year, two months and five days, after the Defeat of Naraku; Rin's Departure_

The fateful morning finally came, the day that Rin was to leave.

The castle as a whole was mourning the soon-to-be absence of the spunky eight year old human; a handful of maids were blubbering up and down the halls, sobbing to each other of how hard it was going to be watching the girl leave. Another handful of warriors were trying to hold strong faces regardless of the fact that the little girl they'd come to expect daily flower crowns from wouldn't be doing so anymore from this point on. And the Lord of the West... Sesshomaru was...

Sesshomaru was not there when the old priestess, Kaede, had come with a few men from Inuyasha's village to pick his ward up. He was not present when Rin was quietly packing her belongings into a small satchel, nor was he there when she was met outside her bedroom door by Inuyasha who was to escort her to her new family.

Both hanyou and ningen walked in close proximity to each other as they made their way to the front of the palace. The soft sound of padding feet dropped unevenly in the otherwise silent corridor and though neither had said a word on the lacking presence of a certain demon lord, both held a strange, instinctual understanding that Sesshomaru would more than likely not show up to give his regards.

However, as the duo turned the corner, coming face to face with the great entrance to the palace, the main gate beyond open as well, they ceased all movement, surprised to see the one person neither thought they'd see that day standing there before them.

The regal youkai looked as aloof and as cold as ever, face impassive and eyes set. Rin took a first step toward him, her eyes like wet, soft stone; her tears had ceased in running but adamantly refused to finally dry in continued and ever present sadness of being sent away, leaving them glassy and moist with emotion. Inuyasha's eyebrows creased in a rarely shown emotion of regretful pain, closing them just as quickly to murmur a silent prayer for the girl, hoping she would one day forgive them. The hanyou bent his head before following in her footsteps never once making eye contact with his brother.

Two words were said between the young girl and the mighty demon lord. Only two words, yet both knew and understood the deeper meaning... regardless if any of the other bystanders didn't. Nothing mattered at that moment besides the understanding of each other.

"Rin," came Sesshomaru's deep voice, his tone, his eyes and his aura telling her all that needed to be said.

A moment passed before Rin looked up at her protector, her provider and father for all intents and purposes. Her eyes were misty while Sesshomaru's golden orbs looked down at the short female communicating something beyond his own control, something his subconscious needed to let her know, somehow realizing it would be the only way for her to let him go and try to move on.

Another few moments passed and the contact broke.

"Hai," Rin said, conveying her understanding.

And with that Rin gave her goodbyes to Inuyasha and a few of the staff before leaving with Kaede and the village men who would escort them to Rin's new home. Both Sesshomaru and Inuyasha stayed in the front door, watching as she left, past the open gate, into the dense forest and over a meager bump in the earth...

That was the last either inu saw of the girl.

When Inuyasha turned to regard his brother, maybe even give the guy a sympathetic look, he blinked in surprise, realizing the demon was no where to be seen.

- - -

Inuyasha found the elusive youkai two hours later, a few kilometers away from the palace, standing on a cliff while gazing out over the great water. White dog ears swiveled momentarily before the hanyou decided to stay where he was on a high tree branch, camouflaged within the thick foliage and hopefully downwind of his brother's superior senses, choosing to merely observe his brother for the time being.

Afternoon turned into sunset and sunset turned into night. Before the half-demon knew it, night had already turned into dawn. And throughout all that time Sesshomaru hadn't moved an inch and continued staring off into the distance. From this angle, with the regal demon's back to him... Inuyasha thought the sight was... almost unbearable, and believed it would be even more so if he had a clear view of his brother's features from a frontal view. However, he was able to imagine the visage of the elder inu regardless, especially since he knew a fair amount of a youkai's inner workings...

He knew that this was one thing no human could ever comprehend about a demon, one thing... as messed up and ironic as it was... that made demons more _human_ than humans themselves. And that was the simple fact that youkai felt emotion a hundred times more deeply than any other living being. They had their own ways of showing happiness, love and mourning (anger and jealousy, however, were much the same as they were in humans, only usually more sinister and violent).

He knew this and... yet...

More importantly, he knew that Sesshomaru was currently in mourning, a deep kind of depression no mere ningen, and sometimes, if they were lucky, not even a demon could comprehend for one essential and basic reason that no one had really ever made sense of. That reason being that their father, Sesshomaru and even him... or really any one in possession of inu youkai blood, seemed to feel things indefinitely more than any other demon specie. Perhaps that was the canine part of their blood, the base idea that dog was man's best friend, a unique companionship and understanding which has always been and always would be between the two.

And in all fact and theory... and Inuyasha would never tell Sesshomaru this since his brother would probably lop his ears off but... Sesshomaru truly was the faithful, four-legged canine that would follow and protect his ningen companion, his best friend, the little human girl, Rin.

The hanyou felt his heart break at the mere notion of what he had just figured out while watching as his brother moved uncharacteristically slow, back in the direction of his home. He felt something so... _human_... something that frightened him to his core... and it was all because of the fact that it could quite possibly take years, decades even, for his brother to find a way out of his mourning for the girl... if he was lucky. It had taken at least a century or two for the great daiyoukai to release and move past his depression when their great father had passed away. Inuyasha couldn't even- didn't want to even try to- fathom how long it might take him to adjust to Rin's departure.

Large golden eyes blinked as he, at an even slower pace, followed his brother home at a safe distance, coming to a definitive realization. He would never leave his brother's side. No matter what. He would help him through it, regardless of all the crazy ass shit the elder inu had put him through in the past.

He would get his brother back to how he used to be.

~ * ~

Author's Note: Wah! I'm depressed now :(


	11. Depression

**Chapter 11: Depression**

_1 Month After the Departure of Rin_

It was exactly one month after Rin's departure, and things still had yet to even remotely change their course from lonely and depressing to how they did when she had been around. The hallways seemed darker, more desolate. The gardens, while still the most magnificent in the West, didn't feel as bright nor as vibrant as they once had. It seemed the human girl's absence was indeed taking it's toll on everyone in the main house, never mind any routine they tried to go about and accomplish.

The first couple of weeks had probably been the toughest for the staff, what with having to get used to having no shining, bubbly girl to greet them wherever they went... No chiming voice humming made-up tunes as small, nimble fingers made countless flower crowns in the afternoon sun... No sweet smiling face to ask question upon question of what each personnel of the house did, who they were, what their families were like and if they had any children that were her age.

One moment she was there... laughs, smiles and all around sunshine encompassing her being... and the next... nothing. She was gone.

But while the servants of the castle felt their daily routine only slightly unbalanced, like the disturbance of a small pebble falling into a still pond, and would be able to adjust or even forget it in the next month... it was much harder for the two inu brothers, the royal siblings having seemed to become more like ghostly specters within their own home now rather than the feared Lord of the West and directionless, and rather temperamental, rogue Warrior.

The brothers were seen less and less with every passing day, the Lord of the House more so than his younger brother since the half-demon mostly trailed after the elder, making sure he was alright and wasn't bothered unnecessarily by anyone or anything.

It was getting harder though, as Inuyasha watched his brother deteriorate from day to day. The youkai rarely ate, didn't sleep and moved about constantly, trying to keep himself distracted and as busy as he could. He would barricade himself in his study or simply stare off into the distance at the cliff he'd been to the first day Rin had left... and had been every single day since.

Inuyasha was at a loss; he wasn't sure what he could do anymore. Unlike the guards, maids or other hired help around the castle, his estranged sibling didn't seem to be doing any better with each day that passed, and even though youkai were indefinitely strong and for the most part immortal... they _were_ able to die from heart break if they let the cold, aching feeling keep hold of them long enough. And as each day drew to a close, Sesshomaru looked even closer to heading in that direction than he had previously.

However, no matter what, even if he had no idea how to go about comforting the daiyoukai, Inuyasha would NOT let that happen to Sesshomaru, he would not allow Sesshomaru to leave this world in such a fashion. He would not stand by willingly (or even unwillingly) and watch as his brother died in his own silent grief, or worse... tried to take his own life by engaging in a reckless, unwinnable battle with some lone straggler, or enticed the wrath of the Council...

Inuyasha shook his head, trying in vain to clear his mind of the disturbing thoughts, still at a loss when he was able to think a little clearer.

Damnit! But what was he supposed to do! He felt helpless, insignificant and far too young to do anything useful, let alone give aid to and save his older, more powerful, and, in his eyes, invincible brother... There was just no way he... or anyone here could... No one else could bring the youkai back to himself but Rin... Sweet little Rin who, for whatever reason, was the only one, save for their father, that possessed the strength and power far greater than any seen before to be able to make her way into the daiyoukai's chest. She alone seemed to be able to ensnare the dog demon's Essence, a demon equivocal to a human's heart and soul, though far more delicate and easily torn asunder, even in a carefully barred chest like that of Sesshomaru's.

She was the only one that would be able to help... And yet was unable to do so, what with being so far, far away.

Maybe he could bring the girl back to-... No...

Even Inuyasha knew in the back of his mind that bringing her back wasn't the answer. Sesshomaru had made the decision he had for her safety and would not take well to her returning merely to "cheer him up." In fact, the hanyou was fairly sure he'd be torn to shreds if he decided to act upon that stray, improbable thought.

Inuyasha shivered unconsciously as he watched his brother from a branch outside his study, feigning a nap. With one eye parted slightly he took in his brother's position.

He was no more than one hundred feet from him, yet he seemed so far away... his mind somewhere else entirely than the land deeds he was more than likely going over. Inuyasha sighed. He needed more time to think of a strategy to fix this, whatever _this_ was that his brother refused to come out of. Sure, the poor guy had always suffered from a lack of personality since he was born (more than likely), face always placid and smooth, no sign of a laugh having ever creased his brow in amusement, no possible way his mouth had ever upturned in what many knew as a smile. Nothing.

But even though it looked as if his brother was devoid of emotion, of showing it even, he was able to feel them, Inuyasha was sure of this. He'd seen the way he regarded his human, a softness entering his eyes, a look the daiyoukai had held for no other, save for their great chichi. The way he would speak to her, turn his attention to her when she called for it, and especially when she didn't. The way the inu lord would see to her safety above all else, mortal peril to his own person be damned.

Izayoi, Inuyasha's mother, had once explained that Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's father had told her he had never valued the things around him, the beings in his life as he did after having met her. She went on to tell her hanyou son that when a demon is able to attach himself to a human that they are never the same as they once were from that point on.

And when Inuyasha had remembered what his mother had said... and applied it to his brother... a youkai that had held no remorse or mercy when they crossed paths in the past... he saw something so brilliant... so earth shattering, so... beautiful. It touched his heart in a way he never conceived possible. That his brother had begun to... cherish. To see things as fragile even if they weren't physically or in any other literal sense. To care for that which was his, not only in title, but in heart and soul as well... It was such an immense change, a huge impact on the youkai it happened to that the feeling was able to, apparently in some instances, spread to others around them.

_Sesshomaru..._

Inuyasha blinked from his ponderings realizing the youkai was no longer in his study. Ears perked, swiveled this way and that, trying to pinpoint his brother's location before dropping out of the tree and bounding across the lawn toward the movement and trail of his brother's ki.

The daiyoukai's powerful aura of youki was hard to miss, even when it was at bay and in a seemingly depressive funk, as was its earthly body that roamed the palace like a soulless clay doll. But even so, said soulless-like clay doll (Sesshomaru would have his hide if he ever heard the hanyou refer to him as such) got more props than the real thing since at least he apparently knew where he was going.

Which was a weird concept all in its own, in Inuyasha's opinion- especially since the demon was, for the most part, completely aimless and had the worse sense of direction the hanyou had ever encountered.

The half-demon came to a halt instantly when he realized he had lost track of his surroundings and almost walked straight into the room his brother now paused in, surveying his own surroundings, staring at the naturally warmed pool of hot springs and then out the window toward the garden on the other side of the estate... as if he were unsure as to how he... got... there...

Inuyasha blinked. And before he could stop himself, the words he thought spilled from his mouth.

"You were trying to get to the gardens and ended your aimless ass here, didn't you?" Inuyasha's eyes went wide the moment the last word passed his lips, especially when the youkai seemed to freeze as if not having sensed him there observing Sesshomaru's confusion. The demon turned to regard his brother with lifeless, dull golden eyes.

The decay of those eyes froze Inuyasha to his core where he stood, allowing him only to watch his sibling. If Sesshomaru chose to attack and kill him right this moment... Inuyasha wouldn't have been able to have done a thing to stop him, the fear and shock in his body all consuming. Granted, he knew his brother well enough to know he'd never do that now but... _his eyes..._

"Sesshomaru..." Inuyasha tried to call as the demon's attentions drew back to the hot springs.

"Cleanse," was all the youkai mumbled before starting to remove his leisure wear.

"Huh?" The half-demon was stumped. This was probably the first time he'd actually heard his brother's voice (albeit harsh from its disuse over the past few weeks but actual words came out of the mouth nonetheless).

"I wish... to bathe," Sesshomaru said as he let his clothes fall to the floor, a very uncharacteristic movement in Inuyasha's rule book of, "This is How Sesshomaru's Tight Uppity Ass Works In Day to Day Life". So all he really could do at the odd behavior, even though his brother had continued to freak him out over the last month continuously, was to simply stare.

The naked daiyoukai moved into the hot springs, passing blotches of colder water here and there as he made his way to the back near an open window that allowed the branch of a nearby sakura tree to slip through, soft, fragrant, pink petals falling every so often, perfuming the air with its flowery scent. That combined with the quiet atmosphere caused the older demon to look quite serene... if not for the lifelessness of his limbs and the look that lacked appreciation of a small wonder.

Sesshomaru merely sat there, staring blankly into the pool of foggy, steamy water, a gaze he mirrored himself, Inuyasha thought absently. The hanyou's body finally allowed him movement and control over his limbs and he decided it best to hang around so his brother didn't drown himself or something. He shrugged against the open door, eyes unconsciously checking as much skin of his older brother as he could to make sure nothing had happened in the small amount of time the elder had been out of his sight. To his great relief, nothing out of the ordinary was different or out of place.

His eyes remained on the youkai's chest, his memories replaying the incident that had been the cause and birthing of the scar that now ran from the bottom side of his sibling's right pectoral to the top of his left.

That scar... if it had been caused by any other hand, by any other blade than that of Tetsusaiga and himself,... it would have healed by now. However, because it had been commissioned and assembled from the bones and blood of their father himself it would indefinitely be there for the rest of the youkai's existence. Inuyasha felt an overwhelming need to run his hand across the scar and apologize profusely, to try to make amends. But he knew that it would be a futile act on his part. His brother, had he been himself, would have scoffed at him and told him to stop acting like his weaker blood. And that would have only been said if the hanyou would have even been able to get close enough to Sesshomaru without the other ripping his arm off and given him a chance to explain.

Inuyasha smiled to himself, missing their confrontations; even the bad ones he missed at this point.

The sound of a bird flittering from its nest outside, swooping into the rooms and back out again brought Inuyasha back to the present, taking in his brother's prone body.

Inuyasha sighed and started undressing, intent on joining his brother in the springs. He seemed no where near intent on bathing as he did staring at the water and boiling patiently like a good vegetable (and for all intents, purposes, and in all honesty, that's what he seemed like).

The hanyou waded in, slowly following the same haphazard path his sibling took in case he might startle the youkai out of whatever memory he was likely replaying within his mind's eye. He seated himself across from the elder.

Minutes passed by, moments that seemed more like days, and Inuyasha couldn't take it anymore. This youkai, this revered demon had always been the pinnacle of strength and consistency in half-demon's world and now... now he was little more than a soulless ragdoll thrown away after once having belonged to a girl who'd forgotten her childhood...

Inuyasha's throat constricted as his chest tightened, clutching the air in his lungs, trying to prevent any and all escape.

He moved toward Sesshomaru with determination and embraced the unmoving, seemingly unliving, youkai, something finally dawning on the hanyou as he held the prone figure close to him, his older sibling's body warm yet slightly goose bumped, both oblivious and otherwise undeterred by the fact that they were nude and that his little brother had just moved into his personal bubble. Sesshomaru didn't seem to even realize the embrace he was in, his body and expression merely lax, apparently accepting it for what it was.

"Sesshomaru... you... still haven't realized it yet, have you?" Inuyasha said in wonder, eyebrows knitted together, still attaching himself to his brother, trying to speak slowly so his voice didn't crack with his own sudden realization.

How... did he not see this sooner?

After a few moments of silence Sesshomaru replied with a rough, "What?"

Inuyasha let his mouth hang open for a while, unsure of how to put it in a way that his sibling would understand. Finally he came to the heartbreaking conclusion of how to let the demon know what it seemed everyone else within the palace walls already knew since the day of Her Departure.

"That... this perfect,... ice cold armor you've tried to encompass yourself in since father's death... that it's actually full of chinks."

Regardless of the heat the springs provided, a chilling shake rolled through Sesshomaru's body moments later, a feeling neither Inuyasha nor the daiyoukai himself had ever witnessed or felt the elder do before, not even upon the knowledge of their great father's death so many decades ago.

And finally, Sesshomaru broke, body trembling and whining lowly. Painfully. Desperately.

Inuyasha knowing the inu race in general, while an eternal being, felt pain at a much deeper level than any human ever could, and regardless of the steps he'd taken in this direction... the hanyou was surprised his brother hadn't broken down sooner.

The half-demon continued to hold the youkai to him, or rather, held himself to the youkai who neither clung to nor pushed away the embrace of his kin... all the while the great daiyoukai's head was bent upon his brother's shoulder, and thankfully, for both of them and mostly for Sesshomaru's pride, their wet laced bodies prevented either from feeling the drops of salt tinged tears that ran down Inuyasha's back.

* * *

Author's Note: Don't stone meee! While this chapter hurt my chest (sobs), I did like it a lot, especially the emotion at the end (at least I felt the emotion since I wrote it... maybe you can't but... wah) and definitely with how Inuyasha approaches Sesshomaru and helps him "break." Kinda weird saying it like that but he did, with all positive intents and purposes, mind you.

The "chinks in armor" comment Inuyasha makes is actually inspired by an episode in Junjou Romantica! I think it's season 1, episode 4...

Here's a list of songs that I guess... helped me write this chapter? Or got me in the contemplative, depressive mood to write it? Haha. Parts or all of the lyrics of whatever song are what inspired and helped me finish this chapter.

Chapter 11 Track List  
**1. Hello, Hello** by SR-71 - (regarding Sesshomaru's depression)  
**2. Forget It** by Breaking Benjamin - (regarding Sesshou's feelings on his "weakness" to his heart aching to this extent [a fact that wasn't directly revealed in the chapter!])  
**3. Keep Holding On** by Avril Lavign - (regarding Inuyasha's vow to support no matter what)  
**4. Rest in Pieces** by Saliva - (regarding Sesshomaru's depression, and Inuyasha's feelings of helplessness at first regarding his brother's possible downfall)  
**5. Whatever it Takes** by Lifehouse - (not directly revealed in the story as of yet but, this regards Sesshomaru not wanting to lose another special someone in his life)  
**6. When You Come Back Down** by Nickel Creek - (Inuyasha will always be there for Sesshomaru, as the hanyou sees Sesshou always being there for Rin)

Anywho! Hope you enjoyed!


	12. Rank

**Chapter 12: Rank**

_1 Year After the Departure of Rin_

It'd been a year since _She_ left and things seemed to be back to normal for the most part, save for the mere fact that said departed-She no longer held residence in the mansion.

Although, regardless of Rin's absence, it didn't mean no one from the palace ever saw her. Inuyasha made it a habit to visit her at least once every month, staying for a few days or so, while Sesshomaru, on the other hand, came less often and for an even shorter period of time that averaged out to about half a day.

However, while the daiyoukai seemed to be handling Rin's new residence in his own fashion (which usually meant _avoiding _having to see it as much as possible), and while to others it seemed selfish, unreasonable, unhelpful and all around a stupid way to deal with it (and it was actually), Sesshomaru did show his concern by posting only his most trusted guards near the village to keep an eye on her and the well being of the village in general.

And Inuyasha was content with that for now, it showing at least a little progress on the demon's part. With this new discovery it left the hanyou able to stray from his brother's side, to cease in constantly hovering over him, and allow him to pick up where he'd left off on a few promises. When he'd first moved back home, his brother had, after the first attempt on his life, asked Inuyasha to practice his stances. He said that while the hanyou had made it this far with his sloppy tactics, that now that he had the proper tools and instructors he could perfect his techniques. But in order to do that he'd have to reign in his temper and practice meditating stances with a kendo sword.

The hanyou had relented and tried to make time to carry out that wish of his sibling's each afternoon, just as he was doing now.

The afternoon was fairly warm, the hanyou practicing stances in a rock garden with nothing but some dark blue training hakama on, his chest bare and shining with sweat.

He continued his sleek movements, having gotten the hang of them by this point and was able to filter out any unnecessary movements and noise (unless they were a direct threat to his personal well being). It wasn't just for his peace of mind that he practiced meditating stances but... well, it was also to tune out all the random bystanders that would walk this way and that, going about their normal routines. Some were polite and respected the hanyou's private time-

"WHOOOWHOOO!"

-others... were not so granting.

Seven soldiers walked by, careless of their disturbance of the peace. Inuyasha did his best to pay as little attention to the air polluters as he could, even as one lingered behind leering at him, his mouth flapping about and spewing snide comments.

Inuyasha ignored him continuing his stances as he remembered his promise to his brother about working on the kinks in his personality (more or less his temper and mannerisms were not up to his lordliness' desirable par).

The ignorant solider continued spewing rude comments, his last one whispered as he was no more than five feet away from Inuyasha, walking around him like he saw the half-demon as prey. That had been the final straw, the crack about his mother, regardless of the fact that the idiot didn't know a damn thing about her, or even him for that matter.

While trying to keep his promise to his brother he decided on a... slightly more creative tactic of revenge. He grinned, pulled the bamboo sword from the position he had it in near the ground, stanced and swiped the sword in a circular motion around him, nearly catching the soldier's left eye with it.

"You graceless half-breed! You might have got my eye!"**(1)**

Nonchalantly Inuyasha called over his shoulder, "Sorry 'bout that. I'll be more careful next time." The guard growled angrily, preparing to attack while Inuyasha's back was turned to him. Inuyasha however, having sensed the counterattack, stanced again with his weapon, this time with a full sized Tetsusaiga that he'd unsheathed in mere seconds from his obi. The tip of the 6-foot sword swung, just barely catching only the most outer part of the demon's eye bulb, sliced through the fine, filmy layer, effectively ripping into it an eighth of the way through. It wasn't enough to lose the eye but enough to permanently damage it.

The guard howled in pain, claws moving to cover his face from any other possible attacks, as his comrades, who had been standing outside another building watching and talking about Inuyasha, had observed the entire ordeal and to them only saw an accident occur, not the antagonizing the other guard did and the creative attacks Inuyasha responded with.

Four guards came rushing to their peer's aid, trying to maneuver him to the Healer in a calm and orderly manner. However, the injured guard protested restlessly yet eventually relented before snarling over his shoulder, "I'll be seeing you again, half-breed!"

As he was dragged across the training ground and into another building, Inuyasha's correspondence reverberated throughout the small valley-like arena, "Yeah, only outta one eye!" Inuyasha snickered to himself for the next few moments.

...until he felt and saw a shadow fall over his form from behind and cringed slightly, knowing he'd been caught.

Damn.

Before turning around fully to acknowledge the elder, Inuyasha blew out a guilty, "Nice day, huh?"

Upon turning around he was met with narrowed, piercing golden eyes. "Is it?" Sesshomaru responded, one eyebrow arching in that usual annoying fashion Inuyasha had grown accustomed to.

Inuyasha sighed.

"Before you even say it, _he_ started it, and I stuck to your crappy ass rules, he just put his eyeball and mouth where they shouldn'ta been."

"Indeed," Sesshomaru said, his tone skeptical yet believing at the same time.

"What are you doing out here anyway? Wandering around again?"

"Don't be ridiculous."

"Yeah, whatever."

And Inuyasha continued to stance as his brother moved to sit on a bench and meditate until the afternoon meal. Their days, now, usually went like this, busy in the morning, relaxing in the afternoon and finishing things up in the evening.

Their time spent, for the majority, within each other's presence.

* * *

Author's Notes: Lala, so a few lines from here, refer to the **(1)**, are borrowed from the book, _Bambi's Children_, by Felix Salten. And woot, I liked this chapter. It was fun. The next one is even for funner! XD Hope you enjoyed!


	13. Bloom

**Chapter 13: Bloom**

_5 Years after the Departure of Rin_

He walked leisurely around the castle, strolling through the long corridors as he had no particular destination in mind. Though he had come to notice that as he took these habitual afternoon walks he often found himself in the gardens. Coincidentally, wherever his feet took him, his younger sibling usually seemed to inhabit the same vicinity, an odd occurrence but nothing he thought much on.

As he moved down the hallways he caught tell and whispers of the servants speaking amongst themselves. Almost always they spoke of senseless things, useless things that common youkai blathered on about in their daily routines. Yet sometimes, at least once a day as he passed their stations and reminded them of his presence they would utter their opinions when they thought he was out of ear's reach. Opinions particularly involving his brother and himself.

Some of the staff believed that, when together, the brothers had a tendency to act like an old mated couple, or that they were secretly mated and wished to hide their illicit relationship from the rest of the castle. While the notion of a love affair was mostly prominent among his servants, others scoffed upon any kind of coupling between the two, believing it was a simply ridiculous concept altogether.

And each time he heard these opinions he'd snort to himself, thinking nothing of it and continuing on his way to wherever his feet guided him.

This particular day he had told Inuyasha that he'd more than likely be busy throughout the late afternoon with organizing documents but had come to find that he was finished much sooner than originally anticipated. As he walked this way and that he found his sibling's scent and followed it to the gardens that either of their rooms overlooked.

Sesshomaru took in the majestic sight in memoriam before spotting Inuyasha near the back wall, sitting under a sakura tree. His brother, however, was not alone.

A female servant whose name escaped him was kneeling before the half-demon, laughing shyly at something the hanyou said. The daiyoukai wasn't sure why but the scene confused and irritated him greatly, and while he knew the distance between where he was standing and where his brother was located was at least half a league away, he knew his sibling would hear him softly demand the other's attention with, "_Inuyasha_."

One of Inuyasha's ears twitched in the direction of the sound before he completely realized who was calling out to him, turning around and catching sight of his brother. His companion looked in the same direction, wondering why her friend had turned his head so suddenly, her own hearing not nearly as well developed as a dog demon's, half-blood or not. When her gaze landed, her eyes widened perceptibly before she bowed lowly, shrieking her apologies and flew off somewhere to more than likely finish her chores.

Inuyasha grumbled watching his friend scamper off at the sight of Sesshomaru's cold gaze, a look apparently so powerful that it could send someone even from this distance into a state of abrupt panic. He mentally cursed his brother for scaring the poor girl away. While she was a full demon she was still so shy around everyone, and Inuyasha had been trying to coax her out of her shell for a good portion of the five or so years he'd been living at the castle. Unfortunately, he had a feeling that Sesshomaru's scolding stare upon them would more than likely hinder her progress into "the social" for the rest of her life from here on out.

The hanyou groused as he marched over to his sibling and growled him out, scolding the older inu himself. "What the hell is your problem! I've been trying to get Mizumi to come out of her damn shell since I got here and all you do is give one look and she goes right back to the way she was! Mute, depressed and terrified!"

"Hn. What business do you have fraternizing with my servants when they have chores to accomplish in the afternoon," Sesshomaru asked, face slightly cross-looking as he turned back into the direction he came, making his way into the castle once more.

"Keh! None of your business what I do with my spare time! Besides, what the hell are you doing wandering around aimlessly when you should be working on all those land deeds?" Inuyasha nagged irritably, walking alongside his sibling.

"They have been completed already."

"And you were wandering around aimlessly because they're done?"

All Inuyasha got was a look.

"Ooh, I know that look." One of Sesshomaru's eyebrows rose up inquisitively and Inuyasha continued on with his one-sided theory. "That look that says, 'I do not wander around aimlessly,' when, in fact, you do. I always see you doing it. You get done with something sooner than expected and you always wander around. Geez. Thankfully you're lucky enough to run into me or I'm fairly sure you'd get lost. You're like dad in that sense, poor sense of direction."

Sesshomaru had paused momentarily in the middle of the hallway, looking taken aback for a moment before responding with, "You read his journals, I presume."

"Hai. Got nothing better to do once the afternoon routine is over. Didn't get to all of them but a couple," Inuyasha yawned as they resumed walking to wherever with his brother.

Sesshomaru snorted, "Indeed." The daiyoukai chose not to mention the fact that Inuyasha completely disregarded the fact that he, too, had his own paperwork to accomplish. Paperwork which Sesshomaru got stuck with time and time again when the hanyou got bored and ran away from his advisors.

Sesshomaru turned down another corridor as a slightly awkward yet comfortably familiar silence ensued.

"Err, so I know you have a crappy sense of direction but... where exactly are we possibly _not _going?" Inuyasha asked, giving his brother a speculative, sideways glance, his arms crossed behind his head in apparent boredom.

"You said you... speak with that servant-"

"-_Mizumi_," Inuyasha stressed, yawning once again before shaking his head this way and that in agitation with his brother's forgetfulness, another trait their great father and his elder brother had in common.

"-once your afternoon routine is completed. Concluding thus, you are in dire need of a cleaning, as I am in dire need of relaxation after the business I've had today."

"Ah, so the bath?"

"Hai."

"...wait a minute," Inuyasha said suddenly, just outside the bath house. "Are you saying I stink?"

"Your scent leaves much to be desired." And with that Sesshomaru walked into the steamy room of his private baths, immediately untying the chords of his ensemble and neatly laying them on the table reserved solely for their attire.

Inuyasha simply leaned against the frame of the door, not bothering to shut it since no one walked around these hallways at random. This area was, after all, the forbidden part of the palace that only royals lingered in as well as a select few of their chosen servants.

"Are you not joining me?" Sesshomaru asked, still in the process of removing his leather wrap and bone armor.

"Yeah, yeah, but for whatever reason, and you _know_ you do this, you get pissy when I get undressed and into the tub before you. So I'll wait 'til you're good and naked and ready to jump in first."

Sesshomaru at this point had paused in loosening his kimono and simply stared at Inuyasha impassively.

"What? You do," Inuyasha said impatiently, the hanyou's face reddening. It... was kinda weird to have Sesshomaru looking at him intently while he was partway through and in the paused motion of half of his kimono rolling off a strong looking shoulder. Inuyasha shook his head, effectively pulling his eyes from his brother's seemingly impenetrable gaze. "Now would you just hurry the hell up and undress so I can get in and get all this gunk and grime off?!"

"Hn," Sesshomaru sniffed, and with that he continued to undress, oblivious to his flustering kin in the corner of the room. Before long the daiyoukai was as nude as the day he was born, and then began his next "before bath" ritual.

Inuyasha absolutely hated this part. THIS was why his brother always got mad, because Inuyasha got impatient with him and would then just strip and jump in... always when THIS happened.

Sesshomaru, naked, began to stretch his limbs this way and that, trying to remove any knots he may have acquired throughout the day unknowingly.

Inuyasha glared at the back of the youkai's head, trying his utmost to be as patient as he could before he simply gave up and started to strip himself.

Sesshomaru, still in mid stretch, paused when he heard the fall of Inuyasha's clothes, his eyes narrowing before he readied himself to turn, preparing to grab his brother by the neck before he could get into the warm tub before him.

However, once he had turned, and before he was able to execute his plan, the half-demon's body collided with his own from head to toe, nearly knocking the hanyou backwards had Sesshomaru's claws not shot out to grab him by a flailing elbow.

Inuyasha sat in a stupor momentarily before his eyes widened at his predicament, and he pulled himself out of his brother's grip so fast that he finally did fall backwards, his naked body in plain view for all to see.

Sesshomaru blinked once as he took in his brother's awkward pose on the floor, arms behind him, holding his torso up with his bare legs parted and at a ninety degree angle to the floor. The youkai's brow creased. "Why must you insist on being difficult, Inuyasha?"

"..." the hanyou just stared up at him dumbly, feeling more than a little embarrassed at having not caught on to the fact that his brother had been getting ready to intercept him before he could leap into the tub... and now he... was sprawled out naked on the bathing room floor..._-!!!!_

"AHHH!!!" Inuyasha started yelling before making a beeline for the tub. Once within the warm, safe confines of the bath, the hanyou calmed down a bit.

"Is being so skittish a personal trait or something only hanyous do?" Sesshomaru wondered aloud as he gracefully sank into the warmth of the steamy springs.

"Oh shut up," Inuyasha blew aggravated bubbles into the water, his head half submerged, ears pulled back in agitation. Sesshomaru chuckled at the sight, spreading his arms out on the ledge behind him, allowing his neck to recline.

His brother never ceased to amuse him. Indeed this was an enjoyable bath as were all the other ritual baths they shared.

~ * ~

Author's Note: Haha! Thanks to all of you that have reviewed thus far! I really hope you enjoyed this one!


	14. Courting

**Chapter 14: Courting**

_8 Years after the Departure of Rin_

Inuyasha had witnessed it before.

Mating season; when bitches of their kind went into heat and courted his elder brother with their fragrant scents, uncaring that their heat smell wafted throughout the area they were in at any given time. During this time of year the females and their guardians would come to the castle, seeking residence for the duration of the mating season in hopes that Sesshomaru would choose one and unite their families with his great lineage and wealth.

Since he had first come to the castle eight years ago the females came every six months or so, at least the inu bitches did; other youkai came around the same time or varied times depending on their cycles- bat, feline, snake, etc. Though none of them had a flying chance in hell. They should have known by their second try that his brother would only entertain the idea of a female inu as his potential mate considering the fact that any other female, youkai or not, just smelt wrong, even to an inu hanyou's nose.

But even the female inu Sesshomaru was speculative about it seemed. Though he never went into a great length of talk on the subject, preferring to leave it at "I am too young as of now to even consider maintaining a union and beginning a family." That or the irritable youkai would just glare daggers at any question or comment the hanyou made on the topic.

The whole courting thing... It really was annoying, though. Watching the sordid and lucrative displays of promise and devotion the females would bestow upon his brother... Gah! Sickening was maybe a better word for the entire affair, Inuyasha concluded. But even so, it annoyed him to the point that he'd just roll his eyes at the display and walk away, roaming the grounds until he found something more productive to do and was far enough away from the potent scent of the female's, as well as the off again, on again scent of his brother's own arousal.

And that was currently what he was doing... Running away.

He wandered toward the gardens, a place the females didn't seem fond of going to visit due to all the "insects" that were around. Whether they had been referring to the hired help, Inuyasha or actual bugs themselves, the half-demon wasn't sure.

He continued walking through the gardens, enjoying the peacefulness he always found there. He walked around a large boulder and into the area of the ponds. That's when he found Mizumi, the quiet, sweet little female bird demoness trimming brush away from the koi pond and murmuring quiet compliments to the fish. Inuyasha smiled fondly.

They'd made more progress on her being more vocal and less shy ever since Sesshomaru had scared the wits out of her a few years ago. Inuyasha made it a habit to hang out with Mizumi when he knew his sibling would be occupied and thus wouldn't come wandering around and scare or ruin her progress again. Needless to say, their relationship was... interesting, to the point that the hanyou had been hearing gossip throughout the palace of a secret romance blooming between Mizumi and him. Inuyasha actually thought it was rather funny, taking none of it to heart.

However, when he had walked out into the garden and found Mizumi shearing shrubs, pausing and anxiously waving at the inu hanyou, the two then walking and sitting under a shady tree, talking about this and that... Inuyasha had a sudden feeling that maybe he'd have a second... well,_third_,... chance at love. Though was it with Mizumi or was it the companionship that she helped him feel again that he longed to share with another? Inuyasha wasn't sure.

He hadn't realized he'd been staring at her with doe eyes until he realized Mizumi blushing. And Inuyasha blinked, and then suddenly she was leaning in and her mouth softly touched his before quickly retreating, soft brown eyes downcast and her face lighting up like a cherry.

Inuyasha's eyes were wide, mouth in an 'o' position, too shocked to blush himself.

"I- um... I just... you're the first friend I've had, Inuyasha-san... and I... I wasn't sure how to... express my companionship to you... I- I mean that probably wasn't the best way but I..." Mizumi was cut short when the hanyou leaned in and returned the chaste kiss to the side of her mouth in kind.

Inuyasha pulled back smiling softly, eyes sparkling. She really had come a long way with his help... but, Inuyasha thought, she had helped him move forward from his past even more so, and for that, he would forever be her loyal friend.

"Thank you, Mizumi. Your companionship means a lot to me, too."

Mizumi's eyes, though wide, sparkled with cheerful tears. She smiled happily and then went on to tell the hanyou about her day, how she'd run into a young noble that had followed her around for most of her morning routine, asking her questions about herself, what she liked, and so on, saying she'd captured his attention when she was seen "speaking animatedly with the younger brother of the daiyoukai of the West."

Inuyasha teased her about her crush as she bloomed red once more. "Well, be careful. Not all youkai are as awesome and mannerly as me, you know. Keep your guard up, and if you have to, let him know I'll kick anyone's ass who messes with my friend."

"Inuyasha-san!" Mizumi laughed, scandalized.

"Haha, go on, Mizumi, go dazzle that young noble of yours," Inuyasha snorted when the small girl threw a handful of grass at him as she rushed off to finish her chores, and then... quite possibly attempt to take her dear friend's advice.

Inuyasha watched her as she left before a shiver suddenly went up the hanyou's spine and he looked around. Nothing. The shiver seemed vaguely familiar, like it was his unconscious mind reminding him of someone's youki, and he briefly wondered if it was Sesshomaru wandering around but then let the thought go in lieu of a nice afternoon nap before dinner.

When he woke up it was already near the evening meal time, the sun not yet set but readying itself for its dip behind the earth. Inuyasha yawned, stretching as he walked into the palace. He figured he oughtta take a bath before going to dinner and made a beeline for his quarters to get his things.

However, when he walked into the entrance to his room, pausing under the doorframe that led from leisure area to his personal bed chambers, the pungent scent of sex drenched the hanyou's senses.

"What... the hell...," was all the half-demon could verbally muster as he took in what... used to be his room. Ripped sheets, blood, semen... things knocked over this way and that...

Then the fact of who precisely had been in the room hours before rang clear in his mind as his sense of smell told him all he needed to know. A frightening pause rumbled throughout the immediate area as Inuyasha snarled demonically, "_.__…_" before heaving out an angry breath and following his brother's scent, determined to shed the mother fucker's blood and splatter it across the entire palace before quite possibly urinating on the sonofabitch's cold, dead, mangled body!!!

He came to halt in front of the demon's study, slamming the shoji door to the side and not blinking once in shock when he found the daiyoukai in a compromising position with one of the many female inus he'd seen throughout the week.

"Inuyasha... If you hadn't noticed, I'm rather busy at the moment," came the tight droll of Sesshomaru's voice.

"FUCK YOUR BUSINESS! What the HELL is your problem?! I don't care if you fuck this bitch or the other one but why the HELL did you have to do it in MY ROOM?!" the hanyou raged, eyes boiling into molten fire.

The youkai snorted, his tone angry and sarcastic, "It happened to be the closest room to accommodate my... earlier meeting," the youkai said, his eyes dark and riveted on the hanyou as he enunciated his insinuation with a thrust of hips against the female. She moaned wantonly, careless and senseless to the presence of the half-demon.

Inuyasha made a disgusted noise. "You sick fuck. Your room's right ACROSS from mine! Asshole! Screw this! Screw you and screw your goddamned hell of a house! I'm outta here for good!!" And with that the hanyou fled, his anger consuming him as he tore into the setting sun.

So consumed in their own emotions, Sesshomaru had willingly allowed the hanyou to make his escape after the blatant show of disrespect, Inuyasha himself mindless as he ran at top speeds through the forests surrounding his brother's impressive manor, not caring at this point where he wound up.

Both focused so and too much on themselves to realize the fact that tonight was the night of the New Moon.

~ * ~

Author's Note: Oh mai garrr!!! O_O! Suspense! I has it. Hope you enjoyed!


	15. Tragedy

**Chapter 15: Tragedy**

_8 Years After the Departure of Rin_  
(the Continuation of Chapter 14)

He finished rutting the female against his desk. She growled and whined and clawed at him when he finished, refusing to find her own release for her. She left, growling out profanities in her native tongue, Sesshomaru ignoring her outbursts as he went about lazily drawing his clothing on before walking out onto the balcony, staring out over the vast gardens.

He sighed.

_Inuyasha..._

Sesshomaru closed his eyes.

Why had he made the conscious decision to rut in the hanyou's personal chambers? Granted, what he had told his brother was, for the most part, the truth. The half-demon's room had been the closest to accommodate his needs, and he had been in the mood...

Well... in _a_ mood.

The female and he had been outside, walking in the gardens. She had been in her heat cycle and, while he felt no attraction to her, the instinct to rut was becoming overpowering due to all the alluring pheromones the eligible females within the palace grounds were emitting. He threw her against the building before jumping up into the room above them moments later.

At the time he hadn't even realized it was Inuyasha's room... but then he'd thrown the female on the futon... he'd pressed into her half-heartedly and then laid his muzzle in the crook of her neck so he wouldn't have to look at her face, and then he smelt... his brother.

And he couldn't comprehend why... but he started to rut the female harder... faster... more frantically, desperately... the scene from earlier that day that he'd stumbled onto... of that servant girl pressing her mouth to his brother's... and the hanyou returning her kiss in kind...

Things got out of control at that point. He coupled with that female two more times in the hanyou's room, all violent, bloody and sweaty. All focus on the smell of his little brother.

And then Inuyasha had barged into his study... eyes full of hot fire and body quivering with fury. It was truly a breathtaking scene.

And Sesshomaru had no idea why.

The hanyou then took off without another word, more than likely running aimlessly into the very depths of the forest.

Sesshomaru sighed again opening his eyes to the night sky... before pausing momentarily, perplexed.

He had meant to gaze upon a milky white moon when he looked into the evening, however he found that there was... no moon shining in any part of the black blanket of stars... The daiyoukai blinked slowly, eyebrows knitting together before harsh reality suddenly hit him.

"The night of the New Moon..." Sesshomaru's heart jolted.

_Inuyasha!_

_

* * *

_Inuyasha raced through the forest as fast as he could before he passed a scent that smelled vaguely familiar, stopping his mind dead in its chaotic thinking.

Blood... and the smell of…

"Mizumi!" Inuyasha realized moments _after_ his feet took a sharp left, weaving through trees and brush before coming to a breaking halt at the sight laid out precariously before him, not once noticing the sun had set and the moonless night had just begun.

He stared for what seemed like hours, unsure exactly of what his eyes were showing him before he tried to speak. "Mi... Mizumi..." Inuyasha's voice cracked, eyes riveted. He wanted to look away... he needed to... but he couldn't... not from her...

Mizumi's body was sprawled about on the ground, one hand angled at her side toward her head, the other bent under her body at an impossible angle. Her legs were spread, the overpowering scent of blood wafting around and to his nose causing a rare wetness to start welling just inside his eyelids, a few stray tears sliding down either cheek.

"Mizumi..." Inuyasha whispered again, taking a step forward, hand outstretched as if to wipe away the possible mirage. He stumbled on a loose tree root and fell to his knees at the young, female demon's side, hands hovering over the body, afraid to touch... hesitant to feel the coldness that surely covered her delicate skin... yet yearning to touch her in hopes of warming her back to life with his own heat...

Inuyasha tried to choke back the bile that crept up his throat when a few finger tips brushed a stiff elbow. He failed, and spit. With his mouth partly open, he shook uncontrollably as it finally dawned on him that she was really... gone... dead.

_Murdered._

But how...? Who could have-? _WHY?_

"Hm. I thought that if I brought her all the way out here that no one would stumble upon the body until the late morning... to think a ningen would be this far from civilization..."

Inuyasha's heart stopped, eyes nearly popping out of their sockets when he realized that he hadn't sensed another presence until the intruder spoke just now. Inuyasha cleared his head, treading backwards at what had just been said... trying to dissect the statement into bits and pieces of understanding.

Someone had then... truly planned to do this to her?...

"Why so quiet, ningen? Does the sight of a dead, mangled body disturb you?" the voice said cruelly.

Inuyasha blinked. _Ningen...?_ Eyes shot to the sky and sure enough... no moon lingered in any direction.

FUCK! How stupid could he be? To have left the castle... and for such a stupid reason like getting pissed at his brother for rutting in his room... with some random, more than likely meaningless bitch... not once but-! Shaking his head of irrelevant thoughts, Inuyasha peered cautiously behind him.

There stood a demon... a tiger youkai if he was remembering right. He'd seen the distinguished male wandering around the gardens and in the palace since last week... probably a sibling of one of the numerous females that had been attempting to court Sesshomaru.

"Who... Who are you? Why did you... How do you even _know_-" Inuyasha asked, gulping as he stood up defiantly, trying to protect what was left of his friend's dignity... as well as the remnants of his own sanity.

"-Mizumi, you mean?" the demon clarified, eyes alight with something sinister. Inuyasha's eye twitched. He didn't like the fact that this demon was on such familiar terms with his friend as to use her name so casually. "I had an itch that I needed to scratch. She was... so young and delicate... so fresh. I was drawn to her. I wooed her with my words, made love to her with my gazes... and then she came when I requested it of her."

"But- why?"

"I have not killed in ages... I needed to. And she was a promising candidate. Though I'd have liked a better conquest, yet to have set my sights so high as to hunt the young prince of the West... Well, obviously that was a bit much seeing as he was always guarded and shadowed by his elder brother, the Daiyoukai of the West. Though I don't expect a simpleton like you to understand the importance of youkai titles and customs."

What? _WHAT?_ Inuyasha couldn't process this at all... so much information... so many questions... what were the answers? WHERE were they? All he could do was stare in horror at the grinning youkai before him as he suddenly materialized in front of him, knocking Inuyasha backwards and into a tree. He held Inuyasha by his hair the next moment, keeping his body virtually immobile with his own.

"Unfortunately for you, my lovely little ningen, I can't allow you run off after having witnessed this scene and my being here. However... I suppose you aren't... lacking as most of your race is... I believe I may have a few... creative uses for you before this moonless night ends," the youkai whispered into a shelled ear.

And the hanyou turned ningen knew... he had no way out of this... he would try, he knew he would try his hardest, and he knew he would inevitably lose. Though what he'd already lost at this point... seemed much more valuable than anything this youkai could forcefully take from his body, or his soul.

* * *

Author's Note: First- Omaigarrr! O_O! Go Sesshou! Gooo! We can talk about your attraction to your brother later! GOOO! Second- Did you expect that would happen from where we left off? OMGAR! Hope you enjoyed! Thanks to all that read!


	16. Confusion

**Chapter 16: Confusion**

_8 Years After the Departure of Rin_  
(the Continuation of Chapter 15)

The night waned and the first vestiges of light flickered low in the horizon.

"You see the position you're in, do you not, little ningen? You are covered in her blood... near her body with the... possible weapon that did this to her... Youkai soldiers will soon be looking for her... and they will find you. Your first notion when I leave you here by yourself will be to flee the scene, to wash yourself, to run away. Human instinct is so easy to anticipate, don't you think? But they will have your scent and they will track you. And you will be convicted of her murder."

"Bullshit!" Inuyasha spat into the demon's face, struggling against the restraint of the tiger's claws at his throat.

"Hm. You apparently are unaware of the full capabilities of full youkai. We are able to mask our scents... they will never know I was here."

"I-Idiot- How could a mere human... even be capable of... touching a demon, let alone doing THIS to one-!" Inuyasha choked off.

"Youkai, hanyou, ningen. It matters not. The point is they will need _someone_ to blame," the youkai hissed. Inuyasha glared, trying to resume his struggling. "Ningen, I grow tired of your incessant resistance, so why don't you descend into that overwhelming fear you're feeling, and. Fall. Silent!" the tiger rumbled. "Now close your eyes and when you wake... if you're so unlucky as to wake up... you will be in the dungeons awaiting an execution by order of the West Daiyoukai himself."

Inuyasha gurgled, fighting against whatever spell the youkai put him under...

...and he lost consciousness.

The next thing he heard sounded so far away...

"In.... sha.... nuya...?"

"Ohhh..." the hanyou groaned, his hand moving to his head slowly, feeling heavy yet too light at the same time. It was a rather odd sensation.

"Don't move unnecessarily."

"..ah...huh?" Inuyasha mumbled lethargically.

"You ought not to move so much, hanyou, you'll stress your body and pass out again. A powerful spell was placed on you that may take days to wear off."

"...Ses...shomaru?"

"Hai."

"What... happ-..." Inuyasha's brain sparked suddenly.

"You were left in the woods unconscious by that youkai. Your body was left in horrible shape, and, even though you are hanyou, your body was human at the time, so it wasn't entirely... surprising but no less appalling."

Inuyasha snarled, "What? With my weak blood it wasn't surprising?" The pain in his head intensified as did his patience and rationale lack.

"I did not say that."

"You didn't have to," the hanyou grumped before seeing in his sibling's eyes that the notion hadn't even entered his mind. "I... yeah." The hanyou paused, trying to gain his mind back. It was so confused. "Last night, I... I guess I was a little out of it. He caught me by surprise... and I was human by the time he saw me. But he didn't know it was... _me_."

"He did not... realize our blood bond?"

Inuyasha stared. His brother being sneak and creative like always in his wording. He could have just said, "He didn't realize that we were brothers? That you were Inuyasha?" The dog-eared male blew out an exhausted breath and gave in. "Err... Yeah, I guess."

"Good. Had he known it was you, he would have killed you."

Inuyasha's shocked expression turned to his brother's. That's what the tiger had said... that he'd wanted... that he'd originally wanted to _hunt_ Inuyasha... wanted to hunt_ him_. "How'd you-?"

"I had seen the intent through his actions since his first night here at the palace. He had his eye on you. He would have killed you had I given him a single chance before. But I..." Sesshomaru drifted off, unsure of how he could tell his brother that it was his... error that Inuyasha had been hurt this past night, never mind what had happened to his friend.

Inuyasha sighed. It made sense to him, and at least the youkai's story seemed to collaborate with his brother's opinion and observings on the matter. But another thought was bugging him, one that... he wasn't sure he wanted to ask about but needed to.

"So... I wasn't...-?" Inuyasha colored, remembering the fleeting thought he'd had at one point the night before. It was when the tiger had him pinned to a tree, his body pressed to his and his promise of using Inuyasha "creatively." It was a notion that, thankfully, was quickly overlooked by the hanyou when the mangy cat divulged his true plan to use Inuyasha as a decoy instead. But he needed to _know_ for sure.

Sesshomaru's eye twitched the slightest. "Wasn't... what?" he spoke tightly.

"Uh, heh, nothing-" Inuyasha stumbled in his words, too embarrassed to express the fleeting thought he'd had back in the woods when he was alone with the malicious demon. He chanced a glance at his sibling and his eyes widened suddenly and without reserve.

Sesshomaru's eyes were fierce, fiercer than Inuyasha had ever, ever seen them.

"_Say it_, Inuyasha," came the demand.

"I-" the hanyou couldn't force himself to utter the word. He didn't want to. This display of... whatever it was his brother was showing him was... astounding.

"Weren't. What," the demon nearly snarled, the question-demand obviously directed toward Inuyasha, yet the demon's golden eyes, feral and unnerving, were looking out into the gardens of the castle, just itching to extinguish some poor being's life the moment the word was uttered.

Inuyasha shivered. "Sesshoma-"

The youkai's mouth moved to open and emit the feared word as he turned toward Inuyasha, but he refrained, seeing the distress it seemed to be causing his sibling. It appeared that the half-demon had already made peace with himself for even having the mere thought touch his mind in passing, however brief it may have been, but he... Sesshomaru had not.

He was so furious that the tiger youkai had such a power as to scare his sibling into thinking he'd... that he'd... _rape_ him... even in brief passing... It was simply sickening. And Sesshomaru wanted the feline-thing's blood for the fear he caused his sibling while he'd been in his human state (or, perhaps, it was just to assuage his own fury, not only with the vile tiger but also the anger he held toward himself). Regardless of the reason _why_, he would _still_ have his revenge.

"How is your head?" Sesshomaru amended his intended speech, looking away from his brother's face.

"I- fine, I guess, it kinda stings."

"I'd assume so. While you have reverted back to your intended form, the force and ki the tiger used to restrain you was unnecessary, it's no wonder he was able to do such damage to you and the femal-"

"_Mizumi!!__"_

"She is-" Sesshomaru tried to say it slowly.

Inuyasha stared in horror. "No. No, no, no, no!! She can't be-!"

"Calm yourself, Inuyasha. The girl is well; she slumbers in her own private room. The Healer is keeping a close watch over her condition and recovery process."

"What? But she was-" Inuyasha pulled himself up as far as he could, staring wide-eyed at his brother who sat on the futon next to him, the youkai's typically cold eyes smoothing over with an unusually soft shade.

"I am... sorry... Inuyasha," Sesshomaru began, bypassing Inuyasha's inquired concern for his friend, and trying to explain his earlier actions that had originally caused the hanyou to run off in a tiff, as well as how... strangely angry and nervous he'd been when he'd actually found the hanyou unconscious, his head bleeding.

Inuyasha merely stared, wondering where the part concerning his friend would come up in this one-sided conversation.

"I was..." the usually proud daiyoukai struggled with his words, not sure how to say what he... Well, what he wasn't exactly sure of.

The half-demon shook his head, disregarding the tenderness of it as well as his brother's verbal difficulty. "Never mind any of that other stuff, what about Mizumi?!" Inuyasha's eyes, full of pain, begged desperately.

Sesshomaru blinked back the confusing emotions that he feared would engulf him had he continued his awkward, unsure speech. He was presently thankful to Inuyasha's selfishness for the female, no matter how much it seemed to irritate the daiyoukai. Sesshomaru sighed. "She is alive and well. Tenseiga's song cried out, mourning her death. I was able to revitalize her... for _you_."

"I..." the hanyou let his head fall so he was looking at his covered legs under the bed linens, heaving a breath. There was no way he'd ever be able to erase the image of Mizumi's broken body from his mind... "I have to see her! I have to see her now! I can't-!" the hanyou squawked, completely avoiding and ignoring his brother's confession.

"You will do no such thing!" Sesshomaru growled, holding his flailing sibling in place easily, his senses beyond irritated at this point for reasons still unknown to him, especially with how hard it had been to admit that he had granted Tenseiga's wish to replenish the lowly servant with her life force once again... and only because he knew the hanyou was... fond... of her.

The youkai growled again.

"Let go of me, you stupid, selfish-!!"

"_Be silent, Inuyasha!_ Your wounds, while not that of flesh like hers, are still deep and a burden to your well being. You must rest yourself before I will allow you to be in the same room as that servant. She will not awaken for a few days, and in as much time you will properly heal. As such-"

The half-demon stared before lamenting, though not without difficulty. "Fine." He allowed his body to fall backwards in to the cushions.

Silence encompassed the two for what seemed like hours.

"I will bestow upon that vile tiger a fitting punishment for the agony he has caused my House, and for the endangerment of the Prince of the West," Sesshomaru said suddenly, eyes promising and fierce once again as he looked at some random object in the corner, apparently trying to will it to explode.

"How did you know he was the one? He said he could mask his scent..." Inuyasha wondered.

"While many purebloods are capable of such a tedious task, he did not count on my appearance. Nor did he take into account that when one does implement that trick there's a drawback in the form of losing your sense of smell as well. A fitting exchange, I believe. However, the moment I got there, saw him, and then you and the girl on the ground, both bloody and unconscious, he fled and I took chase." Sesshomaru paused, and then, "He did not get far before he was no longer able to run," the youkai said lowly, dangerously.

"I..." Inuyasha stopped himself. So much information... first what the tiger youkai had said, then Sesshomaru bringing Mizumi back to life and taking Inuyasha to task about how he needed to take care of himself... how his older brother, though stoic and withdrawn as he usually was, was... very obviously upset and protective of the hanyou.

"Thank you... Sesshomaru..." Inuyasha said, blushing, feeling rather unnerved with his feelings, let alone thanking his sibling for anything other than being a pain in the ass.

Sesshomaru's surprised facade faced the half-demon before he regained composure the next moment and stood. "You... need to rest. I will be back later to check on you."

And with that, the Lord of the West left the room that Inuyasha had yet to realize belonged to the daiyoukai himself.

~ * ~

Author's Note: So yeah. The suspense is over! You'll find out what happened to the tiger youkai in one of the next/later chapters, which is actually set... a year after this incident. So basically the next chapters move right along, hehe. But yeah, hope you enjoyed!


	17. Summer

**Chapter 17: Summer**

_9 Years after the Departure of Rin_

The summer months had always been the ones Inuyasha enjoyed the most, his favorite part about it probably being how the bright sun warmed his skin making him feel comforted and sleepy, especially after he had splashed around in a lake or cold stream for a while like an overly enthusiastic pup. He found that, in his time at the castle, he enjoyed the summers in the West immensely, particularly when he was able to travel to and lounge about at a lake that was a few leagues away.

However, because of this new discovery of his, he often forgot (on purpose) about his palace duties and exercises (aside from trying to get some space from his harassing, stalking sibling) in order to enjoy some well-deserved "me time," which in hanyou speak, meant, _Leave me the hell alone and let me play in the water and sleep in the sun like the dog I am, damnit!_

On days like this he usually did tend to stray from his work (that his brother so graciously bestowed upon him), usually having to trick someone before he made a hasty escape into the woods where he was King of the Branch Jumping and Tree Hopping. And then he'd take a dip in the lake and then sunbathe on his favorite boulder for the rest of the morning. Which usually turned into the afternoon. And then the evening. And then, before he knew it, he'd lost track of time and was late for dinner. Though while his body rushed about getting dressed and then sped back to the castle in a flurry of limbs and cloth, his mind was anything but chaotic.

It was usually when he would arrive in the dining hall, and his brother would be at the head of the table, his face a mask of prissiness and his claws attempting not to click on the table in annoyance, that the hanyou realized how utterly relaxed he truly was. A tell-tale sign of this was usually given to him when Sesshomaru would open his mouth and begin scolding Inuyasha for his tardiness. But the hanyou by that point was way too mellowed-out to take any of his sibling's stern talking to heart, and instead merely watched the other's mouth flap about with "disregards of this" and "late for thats." It didn't matter. Inuyasha was happy, warm and ready for sleep at the end of it all.

But he dealt with it as it came, and more than likely the conclusion to this day wouldn't be any different.

Inuyasha was currently lounging on his favorite boulder after having done a few laps this way and that in the abandoned lake. His boulder was a nice, large but not too large, rock that sat halfway into the water and halfway out. There was a soft breeze every now and then that caressed over his skin coolly as the warm rays of sunshine brushed teasingly against his skin through the leaves overhead, causing many splotches of light to appear across the half-demon's body.

He could hear the forest all around him, birds chirping, squirrels... making whatever sounds squirrels made..., bees buzzing and-

-the sound of light feet padding toward him.

Inuyasha's ears swiveled before he yawned, not bothering with opening his eyes when he realized who it was. "Keh, honestly. Why do you have to stalk me all over your kingdom?"

There was a pregnant silence before a reply came in the form of, "This Sesshomaru does not stalk. I simply felt a need for a refreshing soak this afternoon."

"Keh, yeah right." Inuyasha snorted at the likely excuse. Truth was that the youkai had earlier in the week... in his own special way... complained to the hanyou that he went off too much. Whether or not he meant it like this, Inuyasha decided to take it as, "The advisors are driving me crazy, don't leave me alone with them! So stop going off by yourself, it's not fair!" That thought alone, however, never ceased to make the half-demon giggle like a little girl since it was so out of character for the other to express, let alone imply. Regardless if there was any truth to it or not.

"Must you be so uncultured and lie about like some base animal?" Sesshomaru said regarding Inuyasha's naked body sprawled across an equally lazy looking boulder.

Inuyasha merely yawned again, scratching behind an ear, completely _disregarding_ the jab. "You should try it, it feels nice." The youkai snorted in response, the half-demon having already expected that reply and making a jab himself. "Yeah, well, fine. Guess not just _anyone _can proudly display their gods given body..." Inuyasha smirked, knowing that his brother's ego and pride would not allow him to be challenged, even in such a small and rather pathetic way.

As expected yet again, Sesshomaru stared.

"Haha, you're too easy to manipulate, ya know that?" Inuyasha guffawed, opening his eyes and pointing. "And the funny part is that even though you know I'm manipulating you, you're still gonna to do it, aren't ya? Haha!"

"Silence, mongrel," Sesshomaru said boredly before he disappeared from the hanyou's direct sight causing the younger inu to blink. The next moment the hanyou was dogupalted into the middle of the lake after having been grabbed by the scruff of his neck and curve of his hip.

A few moments later, a very angry hanyou came up sputtering and cursing his brother through angry burbling bubble talk. The youkai merely raised an amused eyebrow as he began to remove the rest of his clothes before making his way in to the pool in a much more reserved fashion than he had Inuyasha enter it. Inuyasha burbled some more, treading the deep water as he waited for his brother to swim somewhere near him so he could exact his revenge.

Sesshomaru circled the younger inu, taking joy in his brother's agitation, and mocking him lightly as he paddled past the disgruntled creature. "You are too easy to manipulate."

And that's when Inuyasha sprang onto the elder's back, causing both to plunge under, Sesshomaru having no warning as to hold his breath beforehand. However, the surprise attack did little to deter the demon's attention as he burst to the top of the water a moment later, the aggravating half-demon still on his back. The youkai growled and bucked but the hanyou was like a leech to his supple flesh. A very annoying, human-sized leech that he wanted to peel at with his poisonous claws...

That was when the daiyoukai got the wicked notion of at least one way to get the whelp off of him.

The next moment Sesshomaru suddenly exploded across the water and landed on his back, effectively squeezing the air out of the hanyou leech. Inuyasha loosened his vice-like grip but refused let go and instead dug his claws into the youkai's chest. Sesshomaru growled angrily, twisting his body around regardless of the hanyou's claws tearing small gashes across his chest and arms, and pinned the hanyou to the boulder after having shook him once, hard, in reprimand (and because he was a little embarrassed at not having foreseen his sibling acting like a mere pup at bath time). Inuyasha in turn twisted one of his legs to the side and managed to knee his brother in the gut, causing the youkai to grunt and fall off to the side to grasp some air with his lungs.

The half-demon sprang away from the boulder making a beeline for the foliage that was his only true arena of advantage against his pureblooded sibling. Though, while he fought his way through the leaves and across the branches he could still feel his sibling gaining on him.

_Fuck! Gotta go back around to the lake! Damnit!_ Inuyasha cursed, already feeling the demon's speed increase yet again. However, the moment he made it into the lake's clearing he was thrown to the mossy ground and pinned.

"I win," Sesshomaru growled, close to one of Inuyasha's twitching ears.

"Heh, that's what YOU think!" and the hanyou reared his head up and took a hold of the youkai's most vulnerable appendage.

A moment passed before the initial shock wore off of the daiyoukai's face, a snarl building deep within his chest as he realized his sibling had a hold of his jugular.

"Half... breed... Release me... at once!"

It was immediately obvious that their play fight was slowly turning into something... different... than the usual routine of sparring, especially when, in mock reprimand, Inuyasha pinched his teeth together, causing the demon to twitch into absolute stillness. After numerous more moments Sesshomaru finally allowed his body to slump on top of the half-demon's, giving in to instinct in order to preserve his life even though he knew it was not in the least bit of danger.

Inuyasha released the column of flesh from his jaws then and started to lap at the area he'd slightly indented with his tongue, taking care to show his brother that he'd meant no actual harm, hoping the daiyoukai would calm down somewhat and not beat the hell out of him for the next week.

However, the action had an entirely unanticipated effect.

Sesshomaru gasped as the tongue ran over each slight indention while in unison Inuyasha's clawed hand accidentally touched one of the marks encompassing his hip. It had been truly unintentional when his lower body pushed down into the hanyou's before both brother's froze. Only then did they realize that they were naked, Sesshomaru on top of and straddling the hanyou's legs and Inuyasha holding on to Sesshomaru's shoulders for dear life, tongue and mouth frozen against the youkai's fragrant neck.

Neither moved.

And a once blue sky turned into a blurry grey as Sesshomaru hurled them into the lake. Both came up sputtering once again and Inuyasha started his slew of burbling bubble curses, back to his old self again as the demon sighed, merely staring at the hanyou dejectedly before finishing his soak and moving to the boulder to lie down and try this "pastime" that his brother referred to as "sunbathing".

Inuyasha fumbled onto the large rock a while later, trying to lay as far away from the demon as he could, both silent and deep in their own thoughts of the day's events and the odd feelings their play fight had evoked.

_What does it mean?_ Sesshomaru wondered.

_What's this feeling?_ Inuyasha kept asking himself.

They had been there for more than an hour and before they knew it they had both fallen into a light doze, waking up every now and then and peering at the one to their side.

Sesshomaru stared more openly than what he'd caught his sibling doing, his thoughts mirroring his gaze as he took in how much his brother had grown. Inuyasha certainly wasn't a pup anymore... his limbs long and lean, his torso soft-looking yet finely muscled. In turn, Inuyasha couldn't help but peek over at Sesshomaru, taking in the other as well, mostly noting the differences between each of them. Hmm. His brother was taller, and naturally by way of that, his limbs longer, sleek. The demon's stomach steely muscle rippling up and down milky white... skin-!!

Inuyasha rose, not being able to stand the supposedly self-made tension he was feeling. He dressed quickly and quietly and without a word to the elder, never once taking notice that Sesshomaru peered out a half-lidded eye every so often before shutting it and getting up himself.

~ * ~

Author's Note: My puppy LOvEEESSSss sunbathing. She's so cute and lazy when she does it, too. Hehe. Hope you enjoyed! Things get... complicated... in the next chapter. Think- "These are the Feudal Days of Our Lives". Wahaha.


	18. Complication, Part 1

**Chapter 18: Complication, Part 1**

_9 Years and 1 month after the Departure of Rin_

Sesshomaru could only stare blankly before him as he exited the Council of Elders' North Sky residence, a grand castle held by ki in the open air upon a cloud. The establishment was similar to the grandeur one his mother inhabited to the East which made it that much easier to leave abruptly and without respect. The youkai could hear guards calling out to him upon the Elders' command, trying to persuade him back to session. He ignored them, walking straight off the edge of the palace and cloud plate, his body disintegrating into pure, blue energy, his light speeding away chaotically toward his lands.

It was needless to say... but Sesshomaru was furious. The mere audacity the old codgers had to demand what they did from him. It was outrageous. The youkai's eyes sharpened upon the land that he crossed, his mind still back in the place he'd stormed out of. No matter how infuriated he was... not even he could deny an order from the Council, and from that fact alone he would eventually have to make one life altering decision for his House.

The daiyoukai exhaled, his nerves still coiled tightly as he replayed the incident that had prompted his outburst.

[begin flashback]

"Your younger brother has proven himself, Sesshomaru. We believe he is worthy as your great father's heir and we wish to bestow upon him the official title of Prince of the West, as well as make him your heir until the time in which you choose a mate that will sire your pups," said one of the Elders.

Sesshomaru stared momentarily before inclining his head that the idea was more than welcomed after so long. His sibling would finally have a place in their ancestral home, and one of official and long-denied title.

"However." The demon lord's eyes furrowed at that. "However, unlike you, Inuyasha, being the youngest son of a royal family, is entitled to and, upon ascending to his rightful title, it is his duty to mate if you have not."

Half a moment of silence passed before an abrupt, "No," was said in definite reply by Sesshomaru.

"Excuse me?" the Elder said, eyes narrowing at the pup's insolence.

"Neither Inuyasha nor I will be forced into a mating, especially not to any power hungry bitches and their guardians," the youkai had objected instantly, before having stated that his father and grandfather, and so on, had never once been forced into such an unseemly action by the Council.

The Elder then informed Sesshomaru that it was his great father who instated this rule upon his death the night Inuyasha was birthed. "Is there no female your brother is interested in? Your father left no instructions as to whether or not his Chosen had to be youkai or ningen. I'm sure she could even be a hanyou herself."

Sesshomaru's mind instantly supplied him with a memory from a while ago, back at his home in the gardens... He saw a flash of the servant, known as Mizumi... and of his sibling... from the day he had witnessed an intimate moment between the two... when she had placed her mouth upon his, and his sibling had reciprocated.

"Your father did, however, make sure to pass on to us that the one your brother chose was to have all rights to and own his heart completely. Inuyasha then, of course, would be bonded for lif-"

Sesshomaru stood and left without a word, taken aback by all the information, and not wanting to listen to any more of their drivel.

He had nothing further to say to the Council.

[end flashback]

- - -

Miles away, and none the wiser, Inuyasha made his way toward the West after having visited his old friends and doing his ritual check up on Rin.

Throughout the years that she'd been gone, Inuyasha had made it a habit to visit as often as his new schedule would allow him to which usually happened once every few weeks or so. He only stayed a day or two, but even that was more than he could say for his brother.

It had been a gradual accomplishment on Sesshomaru's part, Inuyasha thought as he made his way back to the palace slowly. Ever since the first year of Rin's departure, the youkai had visited the girl more and more, though he still had a long way to go to catch up to how often the hanyou went to see her. And even then he only stayed a day or less. But even with his short visits, Rin was always so happy to see him regardless.

However, the last time he'd visited had been more than eight months ago, the daiyoukai having been especially busy with the new mating season as well as some tedious business with the Council of Elders.

Inuyasha sighed as he paused at the edge of the forest that was named after him, glancing back to his old village.

Moments ago, he had said his goodbyes to the girl yet again. After seeing her this time, he realized how much she'd grown in the last nine years. She was beautiful now and had the town boys running after her, but was, as always, oblivious to any of their flattery, opting rather to do the things they did rather than what her fellow female peers would do. However, even though she didn't see the looks she got from almost every boy in town she, oddly enough, seemed to have the same eyes and interests, or at least a special place in her heart, for Sango's little brother, Kohaku, and the fox kit now turned teenager, Shippo.

Heh. It was good to see them again, especially when he was informed that the two males stayed close to the village as much as they could to keep the girl out of danger and harm's way.

Inuyasha smiled at the thought, anxious now to return to the castle as soon as he could to show his brother what Rin had made for him. Inuyasha fingered the small token of affection he kept safely hidden in the sleeve of his haori, only now realizing that he had just passed the Bone Eaters Well. Pausing and then beginning to move at a slower pace than normal, he reminisced about a time ten years ago, a time he realized now that he hadn't thought about in a very long time.

As he continued on his way toward the west, Inuyasha chuckled to himself, thinking of when his friends and he were all together searching for the jewel. It only felt like yesterday, yet... yet it felt like a lifetime ago. A time he'd... finally moved on from.

_"Inuyasha?"_

_"Ah, my friend, you don't understand the desires of a woman..."_

_"Stupid lech!"_

He could even still hear Kagome's voice asking for his attention, sometimes prompting him with her ninja snacks (actually that was most of the time..). Or when Miroku tried to explain how females liked, or secretly liked, to be treated... or when Sango struck the monk seconds after the amorous male chanced a quick grope...

And then he remembered Kagome's sweet words...

_"I've been thinking, there's nothing wrong with staying the way you are... I mean why not stay a half-demon? To be honest, I like you just the way you are."_**(1)**

A serene expression past over Inuyasha's face. Until a deeply-engrained twitch made itself known when another memory came to the forefront.

_"OSUWARI!"_

The hanyou grimaced, shivering, absently rubbing the back of his neck, remembering all of the face plants into six feet of earth.

And then his memories continued, vividly recalling the times that Kagome had cried for him... that she had cared for him.

His features relaxed, a fond smile playing across his mouth.

_"Inuyasha..."_

Heh, he hadn't thought of her in a long while. Oh sure, he'd catch himself doing that every now and then but... when he did stumble upon a memory or two of her he no longer felt the deep despair he had once felt. In fact... he was... more than a little content with how things turned out, thankful she was able to go home to her family and finish her studies, and those "tests" of hers that she seemed to care so much about.

_"Inuyasha_..."

Yeah... he remembered those times, ones he would forever hold dear to him as he made new ones with those in his life now.

_"_Inuyasha..."

The hanyou paused in his stride down the old beaten path past the Bone Eaters well.

That voice... didn't sound like it was from his memory...

Inuyasha turned around, golden eyes widening as his body froze in place at the figure emerging from the rebuilt well.

"...K-...Ka-...gome?"

- - -

Sesshomaru sat silently in his study, unmoving.

He had made his decision by the time he'd returned home.

As Head of Household he had every right to plan out his sibling's life at his own whim; he could agree to the terms the Elders had informed him of and mate Inuyasha off to whomever he chose.

But as... an older brother... he could not do that.

And so he came to the only option he was able to take given his two very limited, distasteful choices.

~ * ~

Author's Notes: Like the sands of time, these are the (Feudal) Days of Our Lives. XD

**(1)** Kagome says this line in Inuyasha, Movie 2 (Eng dub).

Anywho! Hope this chapter freaks you out as much as it did me when I realized what I'd written myself into X_X


	19. Complication, Part 2

**Chapter 19: Complication, Part 2**

_9 years and 1 month after the Departure of Rin_  
(the Continuation of Chapter 18)

To say Sesshomaru was in something of a state would have been a severe understatement.

His brother had yet to return to the palace and the youkai lord had more than enough on his mental and physical plate to deal with that he was snapping every which way, barking orders, growling out profanities to no one but himself and cursing the Elders to hell and further.

By the afternoon the daiyoukai had finally received word of his brother's return, an unanticipated traveling companion accompanying him according to the report. Sesshomaru immediately ordered an extra set of rooms readied before making his way to the front of the castle to meet his sibling (and possibly entice a fight from the hanyou; the demon truly needed to release the stress worming its way through his physique somehow, and a mock battle where he could pummel at his brother was a notion too good to pass up).

Upon arrival, Inuyasha seemed... preoccupied with something... timid even, a rarity in and of itself. Sesshomaru's eyebrows knit together at the odd behavior the younger inu displayed plainly.

"Uh... Sesshomaru... I..." the hanyou stammered walking through the gates by himself, looking back every so often before continuing to walk up to his brother upon the castle threshold.

"Inuyasha? Why is it you've run your schedule off course yet again?" Sesshomaru asked, his tone slightly reprimanding. "My informants have told me you bring a guest."

"H-hai," the hanyou answered, looking confused about something as he came to a stop in front of the taller inu.

"Did you leave them to fend for themselves out in the forest, Inuyasha? Have I taught you no manners when it comes to the courtesy of-" the youkai began lecturing before ceasing the moment he caught sight of someone else entering through the gates... a smaller someone else... with long black hair...

Inuyasha glanced back, sighing.

It was... _Her.__.. _Sesshomaru stared.

"Sesshomaru! It's so good to see you! It's been so long..." she trailed off, her face lit up, sincerely glad to see him (for whatever foolish mortal reason).

The youkai turned sharp eyes to his kin as Inuyasha turned back to face him, his friend coming up to stand by his side.

"Yeah... I... She came back... Can you believe it's been a decade since we've seen her? She's a woman now... she finished something called "yoo-nee-ver-setty", and..."

Sesshomaru's mouth was drawn in a thin, straight line as he regarded the older version of the familiar ningen miko his brother traveled with during the days of the shard. His face took on its cool iciness as it had so many decades ago, the meeting with the Elder's flashing through his mind.

_"Is there no female your brother is interested in? Your father left no instructions as to whether or not his Chosen had to be youkai or ningen. I'm sure she could even be a hanyou herself."_

So... this was how it was fated to be? This... woman... a _ningen_... would take yet another one of his family? His father lost himself to the princess, Izayoi. Now, Inuyasha would to this miko from some era hundreds of years in their future?

Sesshomaru's blood began to boil.

"What... is she doing here?" came a fairly impressive question. The youkai thought it was impressive at least, especially considering the fact that his voice strained with barely concealed anger and impatience, the stress of the day having obviously picked at the last vestiges of his sanity. There was no other reason he could think of for the hostility he felt toward everyone and everything, especially his brother and the miko at this very moment. He wasn't even aware he was completely ignoring talking to the miko as his brother and the female exchanged odd glances.

"She... wanted to see everyone again,... she-" Inuyasha began before he was interrupted by a servant dashing out of the palace.

"My Lord, I beg your pardon but your perspective mates have been waiting in the dining hall to- Oh! Master Inuyasha! You've returned! And who's this? Your Chosen, perhaps?"

"M-My what?" Inuyasha asked confused. The female, Kagome, stood to his side looking just as uncertain as to what was going on. _Perspective mates?_ Inuyasha mentally repeated, eyeing his sibling's emotionless expression. What was going on?

"Not now, Teto. I will be there in a moment. Until then, see to it they are properly taken care of."

"Yes, my lord," the bird youkai bowed and scurried back inside.

Inuyasha looked from the retreating back of the servant to his sibling.

"Uh, Sesshoma-?"

"I have things I need to attend to. Jaken will show... your miko to her rooms. Dinner will be served at twilight. Good day," the lord inclined his head slightly, and then in a billow of immaculate hair and robes, strode off in the same direction the servant went.

"Ano... Inuyasha? What was that about?" Kagome asked quietly, nudging the hanyou.

"I... don't know..." Inuyasha admitted, dazed at the little information he had just acquired. "Sesshomaru's... perspective... mates?"

**- - -**

Inuyasha, still confused as he walked with Kagome through the palace's large corridors, ran on autopilot as they passed the side rooms that were buzzing with servants doing this and that.

What... the hell was going on?

As they walked toward the back where Kagome's guest chambers were they passed the exquisite dining hall... or at least tried to. Inuyasha stopped mid-stride as he took in all the extravagant females and their guardians sitting around the humongous table, Sesshomaru at the head. Thankfully he was at an angle and wasn't able to see the hanyou in direct or peripheral sight.

The elder inu seemed to be conversing with the family of inu demons to his side, the young female blushing prettily.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome's voice filtered into his absent mind.

"Sorry, let's move on."

As they made their way to the guest wing, Inuyasha couldn't help but feel a flicker of some foreign emotion... something that concerned Sesshomaru and that female inu... well, any female rather,... a feeling of being highly irked. Maybe he was... jealous?

It wasn't unheard of... after all, his entire life, Inuyasha had been attention starved and here Sesshomaru was getting all the attention and then some. Or maybe it was because he wasn't feeling like he fit in when it came to large gatherings like that... he was fine with it just being his brother, Rin and even that stupid kappa, Jaken, but more than that, let alone strangers, was really pushing it.

But that didn't seem right either... so... what was it that had him so upset that he felt like he'd pop out of his skin at any moment in a fit of anger and disappointment?

"Ano, Inuyasha? I think this is the one..." Kagome said, pausing in front of a beautiful flower-print door.

"Oh, yeah. Here we are," the hanyou said absently, turning back to walk inside with her.

Kagome wandered around, taking in all of the room, amazed at all the items it held before she realized Inuyasha was in a strange, trance-like mood again. She walked over to the bed and sat down beside him.

"What's wrong? I'm able to come back after ten years and you're sad? Haha, gee, what a greeting to get from one of my best friends, huh?" Kagome chided, bumping the hanyou's shoulder playfully.

"Heh, sorry, I'm just... sort of confused about what's going on. Usually Sesshomaru tells me, in boring, extensive detail, what gatherings and events are going on and when... but he didn't even mention this..."

"Hmm, well, you did just get back, he probably hasn't had time. And you did say that you were off schedule so he's probably known about it for a while and wanted to tell you but didn't get a chance," Kagome suggested.

"Yeah... maybe..."

"Speaking of which... I mean, I know you guys... stopped trying to kill each other more than a decade ago but... it's kind of weird how... close you seem now, you know? How'd that happen?" the miko asked, curious.

"Heh, long story... but I suppose we have time," Inuyasha smiled, his heart a little warmer with her around again. He settled on the bed and began to tell his tale from the beginning, and, before either knew it, they'd drifted off to sleep, twilight all but passing as they slumbered.

~ * ~

Author's Note: ...O.O ohmaigarr! When was dinner again? Hmm....


	20. Distraught

**Chapter 20: Distraught**

_9 years and 1 month after the Departure of Rin_  
(the Continuation of Chapter 19)

He had watched the plates of the miko and his brother turn cold.

He had sat there- _waiting_- for more than an hour. Like a fool.

They had not shown up for dinner as was expected, and while Sesshomaru wanted to go look for Inuyasha and reprimand him and his atrocious punctual tendencies, as well as his horrendous mannerisms, he restrained himself. However, dinner came to a close for those who attended and before he realized it, the families of his prospective mates, as well as the females themselves, had bid him goodnight and went to ready themselves for bed.

The daiyoukai swept to his feet and exited the dining hall walking down the hallway toward his brother's room. However, when he found no trace of the hanyou, let alone a recent scent trail, he changed course and headed toward the guest wing, hoping that the miko could at least tell him where his wayward sibling had run off to. He had expected the ningen to possibly not attend the meal due to her having just arrived and... well, being a human and such. She probably wished to rest and he ought not to disturb her, but for some reason he felt no need to bestow that kindness upon her when she had the nerve to come back after so long.

Sesshomaru paused mid-step, his mind coming to a screeching halt as well. Had he just...? _She had the nerve to come back..._ Had he really just thought that? Why? Before, he couldn't have cared less about the woman-girl, and yet now...

Sesshomaru resumed his trek toward the miko's room, shaking his head of the absurd thoughts running throughout his frazzled mind, blaming most of his awkward feelings and thoughts on the chaos of the day. He came upon her room and knocked on the wood paneling, awaiting for her to bid him enter or answer his call by opening the screen herself. However, as luck would have it, she did open the door the next moment.

Or at least... someone did. A certain someone that looked like he had just woken up... a certain someone with white hair, downy ears, and tired golden eyes... a someone that smelled strongly of the miko.

"Yea-? Oh, Sesshomaru... What are you...?" Inuyasha paused looking around and catching sight of the sky through a window behind his brother. "Oh shit! Dinner! We missed it, didn't we?"

Sesshomaru merely stared hard, his mind racing with thoughts he couldn't grasp to make any rational sense of at this point, his feelings about Inuyasha opening the miko's screen and having missed dinner even more chaotic.

"I... sorry 'bout that. We... were talking about the past and I guess we were a lot more tired than we thought and... Well, we just sorta passed out," Inuyasha tried to explain.

"Inuyasha?" a female voice called from within the darkness. "Who is it?"

"Just Sesshomaru," he called back before turning to regard his brother... only to realize the youkai was already walking down the hall. "H-Hey! Sesshomaru! Where are you-? Damnit! Kagome? I'll... be right back! If I'm not, I'll see you in the morning! Night!" the hanyou said before shutting the door and racing after his moody sibling.

_Just Sesshomaru?_ the youkai's mind fueled his memory with the words spoken moments before. _Just Sesshomaru!_ the youkai growled as he strode down the hall, faster than was deemed proper, his brother's voice yelling from behind, demanding him to stop.

The daiyoukai made his way out to the gardens on the east side of the palace where he was less likely to run in to anyone at this hour. He stopped on the terrace just outside, staring up at the moon and the twinkling stars, finally ceasing in his erratic movements.

Inuyasha finally caught up a few moments later, heaving as he leant against the threshold, glaring up at the cold, like-like statue that resembled Sesshomaru.

"Geez! What the hell? Look, I'm sorry we missed dinner, okay? _You_ didn't have to walk as slow as a human all the way here from the south! We were tired, okay? And I'm only half-demon, ya know. I do wear out at some point!" the hanyou started to rant defensively.

Sesshomaru remained quiet and expressionless, continuing to stare off into the distance of the night sky, no tell-tale sign that any soul even inhabited the marble-toned form standing before the hanyou.

Inuyasha sighed, standing up straighter as he stuffed his arms into his sleeves stubbornly, hating when his sibling would pout like this but knowing his own temper tantrums wouldn't get them anywhere.

"Look, I _am_ sorry, okay? If it'll make ya feel better I have a gift for ya." The youkai's eyes were the only thing that acknowledged the half-demon to his side, peering down at the shorter male curiously, waiting for the other to continue. "Rin made it. So it's one of a kind," Inuyasha said, searching through his sleeve. "Ah ha! Here." He handed the small parcel over to the youkai.

Sesshomaru stared at the bundle in his brother's clawed hand for a moment before accepting it. Upon unwrapping the soft leather he found a plain white handkerchief with a rather elegant print embroidered on it in the bottom right corner. The print was of a crane under a shedding sakura tree, bowing to the water, as if asking permission for a drink.

It was stunning.

Sesshomaru stared at it for a long moment before carefully folding the soft cloth and tucking it away in his own sleeve before resuming his gaze at the moon.

Inuyasha got bored after a while and started jabbering on about his stay back at his old village, telling Sesshomaru offhandedly about Shippo and Kohaku and all the boys in the village being after Rin, and how she paid no attention to them, romantically, whatsoever. He also divulged that the girl had really grown since the last time Sesshomaru had seen her, that she was a woman now by ningen standards and only a year or so off from being an adult by youkai law.

And then the hanyou had made the mistake of going into when he had run into Kagome by the Bone Eaters Well. How they traveled together to the West since Inuyasha needed to check in, and how they were going to go visit Sango, Miroku and their army of a family in another few days.

Sesshomaru's softened expression that he'd acquired during the news of Rin turned into a stern look as he glared, instead, up at the moon as if it had done him a personal wrong. He was silent, as was his brother now, for a long time, the youkai's eyes taking in the world as his shoulders felt they held the weight of it, just as his mind swirled with that which he ought not to feel, let alone was able to comprehend.

"Heh, ya know Kiku, Mizumi's little sister? She brought us some tea in the afternoon and she asked how Kagome and I knew each other. Heh. It was really cute actually... her eyes were all big when she realized that Kagome was _the_ priestess I'd told her about a while ago when she'd asked about my travels for the shards of the Shikon no Tama. She gushed about me tellin' her the story. How her favorite part was when I was talkin' to her about the incarnation of the one I had originally loved-"

Sesshomaru's youki was thrumming throughout his body, the beast inside his blood agitated by the anger its carrier possessed.

The demon's thoughts swarmed him. How could Inuyasha talk of the past so fondly when the two ningen females he had protected, and that had declared loved him in return, had either tried to kill him or abandoned him? How could he continue to hold on to whatever tragic feelings he had for them? Why were they so important to him? They were humans! They lived and died in the same breath as youkai. They knew not of what absolute "love" was. Only a youkai was capable of feeling so intensely that it was possible for them to die from it. And humans? They knew nothing of it! They declared their love, they professed it for all to hear, yet when a time came of death or life they would run fleeing, choosing to retreat instead of fight for what they had so-claimed to be theirs.

What RIGHT did Inuyasha have to reminisce... to still live in the past... to still... hold _feelings_ for the now woman-miko! She would one day die, and Inuyasha would mourn. The heart break that he would feel would be unbearable for a hanyou. Could he not see that? He would outlive her by decades! Centuries even! Did he not see or even comprehend that she did not fit his lifespan?

"-she said she misses me. Wishes that I was able to go and live in her time-"

Sesshomaru snapped.

The youkai had tried to hold his tongue, and, just as Inuyasha was about to continue on, the regal youkai uttered something that, for whatever reason, tore at the hanyou's heart, and completely crushed the demon's.

"To love someone... It is the most meaningless thing in the world."

It was said with such finality, as if it was a fact of life and not merely Sesshomaru's own opinion, that it caused Inuyasha to visibly flinch away, shaking to his core the moment after it was spoken.

"...What?" Inuyasha staggered, sinking against the threshold once more, but this time because his body crumpled against it. The half-demon felt sick, head dizzy and heart racing. What... what the hell was happening to him? Why did... why was Sesshomaru acting so... out of character? So unlike how Inuyasha had come to know him to be? Why did he seem... so furious?

"Sesshoma-" the half-demon tried against his shaking.

Cold, dark eyes turned on him, a deep voice icier than any winter he'd every felt stabbed at his chest. "If it is what you wish, mate your miko, _Inuyasha_, but keep in mind when that time passes, I want absolutely nothing to do with you hence forth." And with that, the daiyoukai vanished in his blue sphere of energy, shooting across his gardens and over the grand gate that surrounded the palace.

Inuyasha, eyes shaking with a sorrowful passion, finally crumbled to his knees, staring into the distance, trying to comprehend what exactly had just happened, never mind what had caused the sudden declaration of hopelessness.

The half-demon, so caught up in his own confusion, never once noticed that his sibling headed toward _that_ cliff once again. The same cliff he'd gone to everyday when Rin had first left... the same cliff he hadn't visited since his first bout of heartbreak had been healed by his brother... a place he hadn't visited until now.

* * *

He'd been standing here for over half the night. Just thinking. Remembering...

Sesshomaru pondered his earlier declaration as he stared off into the darkness, the moon the only illumination upon the dark waves of the ocean.

_"To love someone... It is the most meaningless thing in the world."_ He had neglected to finish verbally what he had thought afterward. Why love when all it does is pain one? Why let someone in? The emotion ningens dream of and cling to... love... it truly is a meaningless thing.

The demon closed his eyes heavily. It was happening again. He could feel it.

As he felt the sea's breeze caress his skin, he silently swore to himself that he would make _this time_ his last.

He knew that demon's could die of broken hearts...

...but that was only if they allowed themselves to live long enough to endure that slowly corrosive pain and didn't simply end it themselves. Yet he was torn. What honor would come from ending his lifespan now? Comparably... what honor would come from roaming this world, living _out _his lifespan until he died of the ache his heart was now feeling? He was at a standstill, one he saw no honorable end to.

* * *

Author's Note: I don't think I got the point of this last part across to many people... otherwise I'd think you guys would freak out and kill me xD oh well hahaha.


	21. Autumn

**Chapter 21: Autumn**

_9 years and 1 month after the Departure of Rin_  
(the Continuation of Chapter 20)

It was nearly dawn now and Inuyasha still had not come after him.

He stared at the sea, wondering if one was able to walk upon the water at leisure. Sesshomaru contemplated this as other thoughts ran rampant in the back of his mind, ones that were completely private, even to himself.

The sun rose slowly in front of him but he paid it no mind. He paid no mind to anything. At least, not until the light breeze he had felt every so often changed in temperature and in ferocity, causing the handkerchief he'd tucked in his sleeve earlier to fall out. The piece of cloth with the bird on it made an attempt to fly off until he snatched it with a claw.

Sesshomaru looked the piece of cloth over, taking in the colors, the handiwork, the picture...

_A... bird..._

Sesshomaru blinked, his mind using his current thoughts to form a metaphor.

_Rin._

His father often told him when he was younger that one ought not to cage a bird, for birds belonged to the world and deserved their freedom from captivity. He had been told this as a child because he often wanted to keep an injured bird or animal he found in the forest. He wanted it to be his friend, to belong to him after he nursed it back to health. Every time, however, the animal, while having been grateful, whined at him to let them go. And then his father had told him about not caging things that shouldn't be.

Sesshomaru's brows furrowed as he stared sightlessly at the cloth in his hand.

He didn't understand his father's words then. Nor did he as he grew. Not until now as he looked upon the cloth and thought of Rin.

She was like a bird. A wounded bird; while she wanted to stay by his side, safe and protected, she needed to leave to find her own freedom in life. Unknowingly, Sesshomaru had granted the girl this.

But the most important bird to Sesshomaru... was he willing to let that one go? Was he willing to keep something from the one person he knew had always been destined for freedoms that someone even as powerful as he could not even begin to fathom?

Love...

Inuyasha had a chance at it once again. Was he, Sesshomaru, willing to deny his brother that which had originally broken the hanyou? Was he willing to cage his brother? To deny him the feeling of love, a feeling which Sesshomaru thought he was incapable of feeling himself?

How could he deny his brother something... just because he himself could not even begin to understand it?

Sesshomaru's sight came back to him.

_Inuyasha..._

A cold breeze picked up once more, dried leaves screaming past Sesshomaru's person, drifting down toward their watery grave below. The demon's eyebrows furrowed for another few moments before one word brushed upon his tongue.

_Autumn... _

The daiyoukai turned slightly toward the direction of his castle, glancing over his shoulder remembering how the hanyou had been short of breath when chasing him down the hall, how he'd crumbled to the floor the night before...

_I see_.

_No wonder Inuyasha did not give chase_, Sesshomaru thought, turning his body into the cold breeze that blew toward the ocean, walking toward his castle leisurely, mind full now of things other than his own personal feelings.

_No wonder... _

* * *

He awoke gradually. First by sound, then by scent, and finally by sight. He realized he was in his room by the smell of things, but he wouldn't have been able to tell had he relied on his sight alone. Everything... was so blurry.

Inuyasha closed his eyes, feeling the pounding all around his head, feeling the race of his heart and the throb behind his eyes that usually indicated he was about to cry... an action he hadn't given in to in a long time.

_Ohhh._ He ached all over... he was cold yet felt warm... beads of sweat gathering upon his brow as shiver bumps ran along his body.

The squawking of the servants outside his chambers weren't helping his pounding headache either...

"He's..."

"Yes, I've heard."

"Exactly, though it's quite unexpected..."

"Very, to think..."

"...one of our own!"

"Chosen!"

"That's what they're saying!"

Inuyasha winced, their voices, though hushed whispers, were amplified in his sensitive ears.

"Inuyasha?" came a female voice, the shoji sliding to the side softly.

"Ka-gome?"

"Hai, how are you feeling?" the young woman sat down to the side of the hanyou's futon, concern lighting her features from what Inuyasha could make out.

"Been better," was all he elaborated with about his condition, before, "How long was I out? Did I miss anything?"

"You ran off so fast last night I didn't know what was going on-"

"Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha bellowed out of nowhere, startling Kagome. He suddenly remembered his last encounter with his sibling... The hanyou bolted up in bed before being overcome by dizziness and falling backwards onto the cushions with a rather pathetic, _Unngh._

"Inuyasha! Don't move so hastily! The Healer said you need to stay on bed rest for a week, and that, apparently, you know this."

Inuyasha stared at her, confused.

"In any case, Sesshomaru's fine. I guess he got back this morning from wherever he'd been and has been holed up in his study all afternoon. And from what all the servants seem to be talking about he said he doesn't want to be disturbed by anyone, but he often calls someone named-... Maz... Misa-...Mizumi? Mizumi! That's it- to his office. I've talked to her a little bit, but only when she brings tea to my room."

Huh? That didn't help the half-demon's confusion at all. What was... "Mizumi? Visiting Sesshomaru?" That was way too weird... what the hell was going on?

"Yeah, I guess so. Do you know her?"

"She's a friend."

"Oh. Well, other than that the place has been kind of chaotic. All the families that were here for some "perspective mating" thing are all being sent away."

_What?_ Inuyasha stared, his mind whirling as he attempted putting things together that would make more sense than the current garble of crap bouncing off his mind's walls.

"And aside from that-"

"Kagome, could you... uh, go... I..."

Kagome paused and then stood, nodding. "I understand. Call for me when you're done with... whatever, okay?"

"Hn."

The young woman left and Inuyasha tried to get his heart rate to slow. In a few moments the hanyou's mind cleared and something even more frightening appeared to make sense from all the craziness he'd just been told.

The servants in the halls talking about someone being "chosen"... the servant from yesterday saying that Sesshomaru's "perspective mates" were at the castle... Sesshomaru apparently having wanted to talk to him about something but was upset when he didn't make it to dinner and then walking off in a huff... Kagome saying that all the families and females that had been there as candidates... had left... and Mizumi... was... visiting his brother regularly when he wanted no interruptions from… anyone...

Inuyasha's eyes went wide, sweat beading anew along his brow once more.

_No. No, no, no! This doesn't... make sense! _

The half-demon forced himself to stand, noting he was wearing a simple sleeping yukata, before he slowly made his way to the door, using his Tetsusaiga as a makeshift crutch. The half-demon hobbled his way to Sesshomaru's study, mindless of the looks he was receiving from the servants and guards of the castle.

Upon his arrival Inuyasha could clearly hear the occupants inside even though the shoji was closed.

"You are not unpleasing to the eye, I suppose," came Sesshomaru's deep voice, his tone spoken as if regarding someone.

"Uuh... T-Thank you, my lord." That was... Mizumi, Inuyasha noted.

There was a pause and then a smooth shuffle of feet as someone moved.

"Then you understand your role in all of this, I presume." Sesshomaru's tone indicated that the topic beforehand was now finished and the one he was referring to now would be understood without question.

"H-hai."

"Very well. Thank you- _Mizumi_- for being so responsive to my wishes. I do not doubt that it will give you pleasure as well?"

_WHAT?_ Inuyasha's mind raced, not realizing his hand was slowly moving closer toward the shoji's handle.

"Uh- I- Oh! Yes, yes, my lord. I... only want to be of assistance in any way I can. Thank you for allowing me the privilege to-"

"-TO WHAT?" Inuyasha barged in then, his body relying on his makeshift crutch, eyes shining, brow bright with sweat and panting unevenly.

"Inuyasha-san!" Mizumi squeaked out, startled.

Inuyasha paid his friend no attention and instead chose to glare at his sibling.

"What… the hell... do you think would give Mizumi pleasure if it's... regarding you!"

The daiyoukai stared back evenly. "That will be all for now, Mizumi," Sesshomaru stated with finality, dismissing the girl immediately.

"H-Hai." With that she gave her friend one last look as she bowed to both and exited the study.

"Well, asshole?"

"Inuyasha, you ought to be in bed, resting," the daiyoukai said simply walking over to his wayward sibling.

"I'll do... what I damn well please!"

"Hn. Indeed. However, from the looks of your disheveled appearance it will only be in a matter of moments until you succumb to the overwhelming pain in your body and-"

Inuyasha's sight faltered before his mind fell into darkness as his body began to fall to the floor.

"-collapse," Sesshomaru finished as he easily caught the frail hanyou in his arms. The youkai sighed, speaking to his unconscious brother softly. "Inuyasha. You are half-demon, of this you know. Yet you still possess a human heart." The youkai paused in his speech as he carried his sibling back to his room, tucking him in and taking a seat next to the lightly snoring half-demon.

"Inuyasha... You should have been more aware of the fact that Autumn was here... Even if your mind is not conscious to it... your body has certainly remembered the traumatizing season of your mother's death." Sesshomaru paused.

"But I suppose... when your mind and heart are taken up by another... you forget," the demon finished, unsure of whether he was speaking in regards to his brother or... himself.

* * *

Author's Note: Ahh! Curve ball!


	22. Discovery

**Chapter 22: Discovery**

_9 years and 1 month+ after the Departure of Rin_  
(the Continuation of Chapter 21)

He had stayed with his brother throughout the rest of the day and well into twilight. He merely sat next to the limp hanyou in silence, taking care to tuck him comfortably into the bedding when the half-demon writhed too much for the linen's liking and rendered it askew. He sat motionless as he watched the rise and fall of Inuyasha's chest, listening to the wheeze his esophagus emitted every so often and closed his eyes in sympathy when he felt the younger inu's temperature spike or drop dramatically.

As far as Sesshomaru had known, and it had only been from Inuyasha's mouth that he'd heard this, the hanyou had suffered from these cold-like symptoms since his mother's passing. The half-demon had confessed to his sibling that he thought, at first, it was a curse for simply being a half-breed, but as he grew older, he thought it was just something that happened each autumn season, like when humans would sneeze during spring when the pollen was rich and productive.

Sesshomaru sighed at the memory, regarding his unconscious sibling. "Allergies, hn, little brother? Is that really what you think this is?"

_I suppose, however, that for one so young, it is not such an uncommon assumption on his part, _Sesshomaru thought. _He will soon find, I'm sure, that his yearly sickness, while it has lessened, is his hanyou way of expressing his heart break over his mother's inevitable death._

"Mmhnhph," came the unexpected sound from the lump in the bedding.

Sesshomaru's eyebrow rose in question. "Otouto?"

"Whfckawie?"

The daiyoukai closed his eyes as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Even when speaking incoherently you cannot cease using foul language."

The covers flew forward and a blob of hanyou sprung up, droopy eyed. "Where the fuck am- Oh." Inuyasha paused realizing he was in his room. "What are you doing in here?"

"You fell unconscious in my study. I brought you back."

"Annnd, that still doesn't answer the question of why you're in here... still," Inuyasha shot back, grumpily, rubbing the gooey eye snot from his orbs.

Sesshomaru remained quiet.

"Well?" the hanyou started twitching in agitation like he had a bad case of the fleas. The silence continued. And before Inuyasha could spout out more profanities, Sesshomaru relented.

"Your symptoms always seem to wane when I am around."

"..."

"..."

"...what?" Inuyasha finally managed to respond.

"Your symptom-"

"I heard ya already! What the hell do you mean by that?"

"I do not know. It is merely an observation."

"Keh, whatever. You know damn well that I get this way every single autumn and-"

"At least you are aware of it now. Before, you were not."

"Well my mind was somewhere else, so 'scuse me!" Inuyasha snapped, looking out the terrace opening and rubbing his ear absently.

"Do not think to run away, Inuyasha."

"-Who said anything about runnin'!-" the half-demon flustered.

"-I will merely capture you and drag you back. You are in absolutely no condition as of now to be going anywhere or doing anything, and definitely not until this has passed," Sesshomaru said, snapping his heel against the wood flooring, signaling some unknown servant to carry out some unknown task.

"You can't possibly expect me to stay in my room for the entire week!" Inuyasha looked at his sibling desperately. He'd go crazy! There was no telling what tricks his mind would play on him if he stayed in here that long... gods... cabin fever... it was a frightening thing!

"Of course not, you will be accompanying me on a short journey," Sesshomaru replied, standing up and stretching slightly.

"But you just said-"

"Never mind that. We will be leaving immediately. When we return your health will surely be restored and you may gallivant around as aimlessly as you are prone to do," the youkai snorted as he dodged a half-hearted throw of a pillow that had been aimed at his head. "Besides, by then Mizumi will-"

Something clicked in Inuyasha's head.

"Mizumi! What the hell was all that before in your study, Sesshomaru! What sort of 'deal' did you trick the poor girl into! I know you've done something sneaky and I won't allow it! Not Mizumi! She-!" Inuyasha ranted, sitting up himself, albeit slowly.

"Hold your tongue, Inuyasha. She has concerned herself with nothing she doesn't want to be involved in," came the curt answer as the daiyoukai made his way to Inuyasha's closet.

"Somehow, I doubt that," the half-demon grumbled to himself before speaking a little louder. "I know about you sending all those courting families home! And all the servants are talking about 'one of their own' being 'chosen'. What's up with all that?" Inuyasha followed his sibling's trail to the closet and peered inside, watching as Sesshomaru pulled at this and that, searching for clothes he'd have the younger inu wear.

"Hn, and who did you hear that bit of news from?"

"Kagome."

Sesshomaru paused in his search momentarily before resuming. "I see."

"-AND?"

"Hmm?"

"Don't play stupid, you idiot!" Inuyasha growled, causing Sesshomaru to chuckle. "I... Never mind, I think I know..."

Sesshomaru peered to his side, regarding Inuyasha as the half-demon's voice dropped and seemed younger now. "Know what?"

"You never explained what the fuck was going on but... I kinda figured it out. I don't know why you're looking for a mate... but apparently you chose one and have sent the rest of those families packing, right? Kagome said when you got back in the morning that you wouldn't hold council with anyone... and the only one you did see was... Mizumi..."

Sesshomaru remained immobile, the chosen garment hanging from his claws as he silently urged his sibling to continue with his theory.

"You've... chosen Mizumi, right? You want her to be your mate? I...guess it just doesn't make sense, no matter how many ways I look at it. You didn't even care to know her name before... always referring to her as 'that servant of yours' or whatever. And you don't even have anything in common with each other... what could you possibly-"

"You."

Inuyasha paused. "What?"

"We have you in common, Inuyasha," Sesshomaru said, his attention, while directed toward his brother, was physically on the cloth in hand.

"Me?" Inuyasha repeated before recovering. "What the hell kind of relationship can you build on that together? How do you think you'll be happy if you don't love her? Not to mention she wouldn't be able to handle your mood swings, cause you have to admit, you _are _one moody son of a bitch... and no way she could stand "talking" to you, all you ever do is stare in brooding silence..." Inuyasha looked over at his quiet sibling... who was staring at him. "See! Like that! And she's not one made to spar, cause we both know you need to take your anger out on someone, and I'll be damned if I let you take it out on her! And another thing-!"

"Inuyasha," Sesshomaru called.

"-she doesn't know how your creepy, twisted mind works, so I'd have to explain that extensively- What?" the half-demon finally stopped.

"I am not mating that servant of yours."

"...but, I heard you say-" Inuyasha began as Sesshomaru rose an inquisitive brow. "You said you thought she was attractive..."

"And?" the youkai pressed uninterestingly as he made his way out of the closet, passing the confused hanyou.

"...what do you mean, 'and'? Why'd you say it if you aren't gonna mate her?" Inuyasha pivoted, stalking his sibling to the hot springs attached to his room.

Upon entering, the youkai nodded to a servant who had just brought the daiyoukai clean clothing. Sesshomaru set his sibling's attire down and began to remove the top layer of his kimono ensemble.

"Sesshomaru! What'd you mean!" Inuyasha growled, impatient as always, as he marched forward, grabbed the demon's elbow and spun him round to the best of his ability.

The demon in turn allowed himself to be pulled about like a ragdoll, all too amused with his sibling's passionate reaction to his own assumption. "I am the product of excellent breeding, Inuyasha-"

"The entire world knows that, you conceited jack ass."

"-and as such, my senses are far superior to even that of your_ half-_superior senses."

Inuyasha blinked, looking up at the taller inu that he still had a hold of. "Okay, you've lost me."

"Simply put: I knew you were lingering outside my study. You know better than to eavesdrop, you had that coming."

The hanyou continued to stare, dumbfounded. "You mean to tell me you basically scolded me like a wayward pup? And I didn't realize it until now?" Sesshomaru's brows lifted in what Inuyasha translated into hanyou as "duh", before pushing away from the jerk and pacing in the area of the hot spring as his sibling resumed undressing for his bath.

Inuyasha paced some more, after having spit profanities this way and that, before heading toward the entrance to his room.

"Where do you think you're going? You should bathe properly to dispel what sickness you can from your body before we leave," Sesshomaru intoned as he slipped his body into the warm and cold pool.

"'m gonna go talk to Kagome about how unfair it is for older siblings to pick on their younger siblings and how to retaliate appropriately," the hanyou mumbled childishly, causing Sesshomaru to chuckle.

"You won't find the miko in her room."

Inuyasha paused, turning around to inquire where he'd find her then.

"She is no longer in the castle."

"What! Where'd she go? Did she go home? No... she wouldn't without telling me..."

"Do not fret, hanyou, your miko will return within three days. Until then, try to keep your mannerisms tolerable in my presence or I will lop off your ears and give them to AhUn to chew on."

Inuyasha stared. Stunned.

Had... had he just... had Sesshomaru just... teased him?

Granted, it was a rather... dark way of teasing, but it was teasing all the same... but... something was... different about the way his brother said it. Inuyasha opened his mouth to test the figurative waters he was currently in.

"Yeah, but you'd first have to catch me to lop 'em off, asshole..."

"You have always been and always will be within my grasp to catch, Inuyasha. Never forget that," Sesshomaru said with such assurance that it took Inuyasha by surprise. The hanyou felt a shiver as he made eye contact with his brother, those nearly identical molten orbs boring into his own with something far more... primal...

Inuyasha had to physically shake his head to remove himself from whatever trance he'd fallen under, unknowingly of his own making.

"Uhh... I... okay." Inuyasha turned back toward his room but did not continue. Instead he let out an awkward, "I'm gonna... go get supplies for the trip to wherever... I'll be back to take a bath in a little bit..."

"Very well," was his sibling's reply. Sesshomaru gave a sigh as he settled his back against one of the spring's walls, allowing his neck to recline on a plush towel.

"Oh... by the way..." Inuyasha called over his shoulder, having suddenly remembered something very important... that he still didn't quite understand why he had to vocalize but knew it was necessary all the same.

"Hn?" Sesshomaru did nothing but mumble in the back of his throat, his body too relaxed to open his eyes or speak from his sprawled position.

"...I don't want to,... I mean... I'm not gonna mate Kagome. She only came back because the jewel had never given her a chance to say goodbye to everyone properly. Not just that but she has a family of her own back in her era... and... yeah, that's all," Inuyasha finished awkwardly, blushing as he nodded to himself in affirmation and walked back into his room.

He never noticed that Sesshomaru's previously relaxed face was now alert, eyes wide and staring ahead sightlessly.

* * *

His bath had been well over yet he continued to sit in the springs, staring up at the sky he could see through the open ceiling above him. His mind full of thoughts but not being able to tap into one of them for more than a few seconds at a time.

"Holy crap! You're still in here?" came a voice from the side somewhere.

Sesshomaru paid it no mind and continued to stare, that same odd softness still encompassing his being. He didn't want to lose this feeling.

"Sesshomaru! Hey! You're gonna prune if you don't get out," a voice that sounded remarkably like his sibling said. Before he realized it, someone had put their hands upon Sesshomaru's person and the youkai did the first thing instincts told him to; he defended.

Without warning, the youkai grasped the intruder by their upper arms, pivoting in a tight circle and slamming his would-be attacker into the side of the spring, against a damp wall with an "Oomph!"

Sesshomaru's sight registered the being between his claws and blinked in recognition. "Inuyasha."

"Ow. Damn... that hurt. I never seem to learn not to get close to you when you're all spaced out... you get more violent than usual when you're taken off guard..." the hanyou huffed as he was released, red marks aligning his upper arms, small beads of red collecting where claws had extended into flesh. Inuyasha winced when he brushed his hand over one of them, the sensitivity there radiating painfully.

"Inuyasha..." Sesshomaru began again. However, before the youkai spoke of apologies, he leant forward, caught the half-demon in his hands once again, mindful of his claws this time, and brought his mouth to the wounds. His tongue hit skin and tasted the half-blood of his sibling... Sesshomaru moaned at the flavor just as Inuyasha gasped.

"U-uh, Se-sshomaru?" came a cautious whisper from above the white head of hair.

Sesshomaru continued to lap at the wounds, effectively closing the torn flesh as his youki hummed softly in his veins. By the time he was done sealing the tattered flesh, the demon brought his head up slowly, his sense of smell leading him past a collar bone and running against a column of neck... Sesshomaru growled unconsciously at the scent.

"Uh... thanks..." was all Inuyasha could think to say at this point, a really odd feeling pooling in his stomach before he realized he was getting aroused... The half-demon promptly freaked, flailing in the water until the daiyoukai released him the next moment. "I... I think I should... I mean..."

Sesshomaru blinked, his earlier, far away look having subsided. "I will dry and leave you to your bath. When you are finished I will meet you in the war room." The youkai drew himself out of the water, leaving his clothed, shuddering sibling still halfway submerged, never once noticing his brother's current dilemma.

Once he made it back to his room, Sesshomaru sat upon his futon, thinking of the information his brother had given him about not wanting to mate the miko...

The phrase and lesson his father had told him so long ago came back to him, about caged birds and freedom. Though, Sesshomaru suddenly remembered a part of his father's lesson that he had forgotten when he had first reminisced it back at the cliff.

_"I will tell you one thing, Sesshomaru, that a bird ought not to be caged, for it is as free as the wind itself. However," the Inu no Taishou had said sweetly to a quietly pouting youkai toddler. "I will say that if it was meant to be with you, it will come back to you of its own accord."_

Sesshomaru's brows furrowed. He... understood now.

Inuyasha... was a bird he had wanted to cage to himself. He had wanted Inuyasha by his side no matter what... but when the miko had come back, and he had felt an odd emotion he'd rarely felt before... he knew that he couldn't cage his brother even though he held the power to do so.

So he had prepared himself for his sibling's eventual departure... to give his blessing and let him go... to open the cage and set his brother free figuratively.

However... things didn't go as he had expected.

Just as he'd relented to the notion... as he'd opened the cage and watched his brother fly over a hill with his memory and his miko... Just as he'd turned his back to resume his old habits and duties...

Inuyasha, had...

... he'd come back.

All of his own accord.

* * *

Author's Note: I liked this chapter for many reasons; One, because it explains some loose ends I left loose on purpose earlier, haha; Two, because Inuyasha told Sessh he had no intention of mating Kagome/ Sessh told Inu he wasn't mating Mizumi; and Three, cause there's a little bit of preview to the UST between the brother's AND a cute, fluffy moment of recollection at the end there... yay!

And as a last note... and an interesting tidbit... this chapter was heavily inspired by two songs:

-**Because You Live** by Jesse McCartney (the lyrics/idea behind the song)  
-**When You Come Back Down** by Nickel Creek (this one is actually the tone I wanted and wrote this chapter in/with).


	23. Amends

**Chapter 23: Amends**

_9 years and 1 month+ after the Departure of Rin_  
(the Continuation of Chapter 22)

Sesshomaru had been leading him to some unknown destination for two days now, and while they spoke often enough, the youkai avoided any form of explanation as to where they were headed exactly just as easily.

His brother refusing to tell him where they were headed was one thing, but when the daiyoukai actually took the time and energy and forethought to _avoid_ telling the hanyou... that was something else entirely. It frustrated Inuyasha to no end, especially since his nerves were getting jittier and jittier with each fall of night, his sickly state not helping any. And it was all because the night of the New Moon was upon them.

The day before, when the half-demon had asked what was so damned important that they had to leave the castle during this phase of the moon, the youkai simply stated that he was well protected being in Sesshomaru's presence alone.

When Inuyasha had just stopped dead in his tracks and gave his brother a deadpanned look, the demon lord responded in kind, "To alleviate any foolish insecurities you may still hold, even with my very word as Protector, _Inuyasha_ (Sesshomaru gave the hanyou a dirty look at being questioned in his abilities to keep those within his company alive), you will be satisfied that where we are going you will be under... the best of care. Of this I can assure you."

While the half-demon was still somewhat skeptical, and just because he always felt as such near his night of weakness, he nodded in understanding and complete faith, continuing on their trek. No matter what, he knew his brother wouldn't allow anything or anyone to take advantage of him on the moonless evening, or anytime really. This fact was especially amplified due to an incident that had happened about a year ago...

He had run away from the castle in anger and frustration that evening, and through his overly emotional state he had neglected to note that the sun was rapidly dipping behind the earth, a god's chariot racing across the sky with a dark blanket of stars painted across it... and before he realized it, when he had smelled blood and stumbled upon his friend's mangled body... the night of the New Moon had already begun.

A mysterious figure had snuck upon him as he sat paralyzed in front of Mizumi, her dead eyes staring up into the sky, searching for nothing in particular. Inuyasha had soon found out that the figure, a tiger youkai, had killed her for sport, that, while among his clan they prided themselves on resisting the urge to hunt, there always came a time, every few decades, that they couldn't help but give into their instincts and start what the tiger referred to as "the Court."

"The Court" this particular youkai referred to, Inuyasha had found out from Sesshomaru later, was basically the tiger youkai clan's dirty and vile joke of when they chose their victim. It was basically their sick way of "courting" the one they would hunt and then eventually kill, as if courting a lover, but usually without the intention of creating a life bond with them. Though on some very rare and historical occasions, the hunter and the prey had fallen in love (before the prey was killed, of course).

Sesshomaru had told Inuyasha he was lucky to have run into a male tiger demon instead of a female. Had the one-night-only ningen done that there would have been a good chance talking as long as the male demon did wouldn't have happened. Not only that but the female probably would have seduced Inuyasha before killing him, bathing herself in her victim's blood and eating a few of his organs. At this point, back then, Inuyasha had gagged, nearly throwing his stomach up and through his throat just waiting to see it lying on his lap inside out.

The hanyou asked why the females were so freaky (not that the male hadn't been, especially with what he'd done to Mizumi's body) compared to the demon he'd run into that night. The daiyoukai went on to explain that the females were naturally more superstitious, especially about vitality and youth. They believed bathing in blood, willingly given blood, restored power that may have otherwise lied dormant in their youki cores. However, if they bathed in the blood of a victim from a hunt, it was said that it backtracked one's age and prolonged life.

Sesshomaru had then, however, reassured Inuyasha that, "These superstitions and beliefs, while having waned since the dawn of youkai, are still carried and practiced solely by the few remaining aristocratic clans. Even as their numbers dwindle, they believe this." Sesshomaru had scoffed mid-explanation. "They take no note that hunting for mere sport and entertainment is strictly prohibited in my lands, never mind the North and East."

The demon lord continued on by elaborating that because of these facts the youkai male that had murdered Inuyasha's friend (_Mizumi, _Inuyasha had stressed) and, especially, having had threatened the young Prince of the West, even though that important fact hadn't been written down officially since Inuyasha's human night had to remain a secret, the guilty's punishment would be of the same magnitude of his crimes (add on to that all of the trouble it had caused Sesshomaru, both in paperwork and mentally at the time of the incident).

The time then came, days later, of the tiger's sentencing, a place which Inuyasha had not been permitted to be in attendance; Sesshomaru had even stationed his personal guards (that he really had no use for, it was merely protocol to have them for a daiyoukai) at all possible entrances so as to dissuade the curious half-demon from peeking in.

Unfortunately, the daiyoukai really should have known better.

Like Sesshomaru, the blood of their father ran through Inuyasha's veins, and by way of that enabled him to make crafty maneuvers that others of lesser blood (or a preoccupied demon lord) would otherwise overlook. Like... say... climbing into the covered ceiling rafters of the large room that the meeting took place in and eavesdropping that way while munching on some pastries he'd stolen from the kitchens.

The hanyou had learned a few key things while listening to the otherwise unnecessarily drawn out, boring sentencing... meeting... thing. One, was that the family of the tiger male was there, and apparently was of aristocratic status since all the dignitaries of that clan were also in attendance and had to speak, individually, of their thoughts and what they believed would be a just punishment for their kinsman.

Another thing Inuyasha learned was that The Council of Elders were present as well (which was a huge deal since they rarely stepped foot on earthbound soil as it was and mainly stayed up in their pompy, hoity-toity floating castle in the Northern Sky).

The last surprising thing he'd learned was that, near the end of the hearing when a punishment was decided by all involved (but ultimately up to the Elders),... the sentence for having murdered a, essentially, ward of Sesshomaru's House, was merely... exile from the West...

Inuyasha, having lived with his sibling for a little over eight years (even though it wasn't a long time according to youkai standards) knew his brother's temper fairly well, especially considering the fact that he'd almost always been on its receiving end most of the time in their earlier years, and thus had smelled and heard his reaction before anyone else in the vicinity.

Sesshomaru's youki blew up, expanding from his core and encompassing him in a dangerous hue of coral (the smell of it, Inuyasha thought, was strongly reminiscent of some rarely seen flower the first few moments it seeped from his being; the next moment and the smell would sharpen to that of burning metal). Inuyasha, who took a chance at peering between one of the wooden rafter covers could see the sheer anger of the youkai's tamed power, which crackled in visible, hissing sparks. The furious daiyoukai went on to speak that he did not consent to exile being a just punishment for what had happened to a member, even if the young female was of servant rank, of his Household.

Inuyasha had been surprised at first by his brother's angry passion regarding the situation before remembering that he was probably upset because he knew the entire truth behind those that were attacked. According to the written report, a servant of the daiyoukai of the West had been murdered, and a human from an unknown location had been severely injured and was currently missing, unable to be found or identified) but he could not speak of his highly classified knowledge.

Inuyasha watched in surprised fascination as an Elder put his hand up, making a silencing gesture to Sesshomaru's outburst as if he were but a pup and not a proud ruling demon of an entire region (even though he was, in comparison to the Councilman, a mere pup). The hanyou's eyes had been comically wide, waiting on the edge of suspense for his brother to take the old codger's head off for the insolent gesture, knowing Sesshomaru would have never put up with such an action from anyone.

But he didn't move. Instead, the half-demon's sibling merely held his tongue at the treatment, acquiescing with the Elder's command though still openly resistant to the idea of exile as punishment alone.

It was the most impressive thing Inuyasha had ever seen his sibling do. He had no idea his brother was capable of keeping his temper in check, let alone participating in a "working group" where everyone's input was what made the final decision (well, sort of) instead of Sesshomaru doing whatever the hell he pleased.

Inuyasha stared as the Elder had then begun to speak his reasoning for silencing the Lord of the West.

"We understand your opposition to this decision, Sesshomaru, what with this incident happening within your lands. However, as the Daienkon Clan has pointed out, their kin, accused of murder and assault of a wandering ningen-"

"-Who is no where to be found, let alone do we truly know even _exists_," another Councilman added off to the side, drawing Sesshomaru's scathing attention to himself momentarily.

"That will be enough, Councilman Auruga," the Head Elder ordered, regaining control of the trial and continuing on with his explanation to Sesshomaru. "We are not putting your word to question, young lord," the Elder reassured. "However, because of the fact that the murdered servant was able to be revived by you and your fabled Sword of Heaven, the ningen more than likely dead from the grievous injuries you described he received, or in hiding, we truly have no ground to do anything but exile the Accused. The Daienkon Clan has had treaties with the four regions since even I can remember, surely you see the bind that puts us all in."

Inuyasha peered back to his brother's face, having wanted to take note of his reaction. Sesshomaru's head was angled as such that none were able to see the surely slit-red eyes that peered nastily through a white veil of whispering bangs.

The youkai then said something in the old tongue of Inu, a language the half-demon had heard about and knew existed but had never actually learned due to his upbringing by his mother. His curiosity then got the best of him as he leaned a little further onto the next ceiling cover, pulling himself closer to the unfolding scene. The wood creaked. Inuyasha's eyes widened, and those occupying the room furrowed their brows and looked up.

A ball of red and white crashed through the ceiling and fell into a heap on the floor, a resounding "Owww," accompanying the rather crude landing...

...Directly in front of the Accused who, known only to Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, had originally had an insatiable craving to make the hanyou his "courted" prey.

Inuyasha shook his head of the dust and debris then, peering around at those staring at him and blushing sheepishly before he caught sight of his sibling standing on the other side of the room, the identical, albeit older, gold eyes widening. Though not in surprise of his little brother's abrupt presence.

Inuyasha blinked before he turned his head, following the true path of his brother's gaze, his eyes meeting ones he'd only and last seen when he'd found Mizumi's battered, cold body upon the forest floor. The tiger's eyes started glowing yellow.

It happened faster than anyone had time to anticipate something was wrong.

The tiger immediately moved to a crouch before diving for Inuyasha with a ferocious howl, practically salivating at having this opportunity, his mind drawn blank and completely oblivious to the position he was putting himself in before the Council and his high standing kin. Inuyasha could only grunt, eyes wide, as the tiger knocked into him, immediately sinking his fangs into the hanyou's shoulder, sending them sliding across the floor.

Only to come to a stop, right in front of Sesshomaru's feet.

The tiger had not a chance to even unsheathe his teeth from the wonderfully warm neck area of his desired target when Sesshomaru's sword, Bakusaiga, was sheathed into _his_ neck.

Upon reflection a year from then, Inuyasha could only remember bits and pieces after that. He remembered people gasping throughout the room, a few screaming in outrage and despair, others barking out orders to keep the room under control, and... Sesshomaru, at some point, having removed his sword from the tiger's neck before digging his poison claws into the dead corpse needlessly, the tiger's fangs retracting upon death, and throwing the body toward the Elders.

The daiyoukai had actually kneeled down then (which was something solidly engrained in Inuyasha's memory and would be for all eternity), before ripping off one of Inuyasha's sleeves from his Fire Rat ensemble and pressing the absorbent cloth to the wound on the younger inu's shoulder.

At that point Inuyasha had lost consciousness, the tiger having had his own special poison and wreaking havoc on the hanyou's system.

He had woken up a few hours later, wound healed and more than a little hungry. However, the moment he'd moved to get up Sesshomaru appeared out of nowhere and barked at him to lie back down, saying that, "Half-breeds that can't even eavesdrop effectively, and then allow themselves to be attacked a second time by the _same_ youkai have no need of freedom. If you move an inch from this room you will be forcefully dragged back. And since I know you _will _try to escape, you can expect one of two consequences for your second offense."

Inuyasha stared, most of what his brother had said going over his head since his stomach was really the only thing he could hear, let alone concentrate on at the moment. "And... they would be?" He tried to be as cooperative as his stomach was willing to allow.

"You will then either keep residence tied up like the half-breed dog that you are in one of the confinement rooms or you will be chained to my side for as long as I see fit. And I can assure you, Inuyasha, once you have experienced either of those you will not think to entertain the ludicrous notion of escape, nor going against my word, again."

Inuyasha had slouched at that, his fight all but having left him the moment he woke up famished. He had given in, which had surprised Sesshomaru to the point of calling in the healers again to confirm the hanyou hadn't suffered head trauma or a mystifying spell of some sort. However, after fighting off the healers and assuring them he was okay, Inuyasha did make one demand for his cooperation; food.

Sesshomaru complied, utterly exhausted from the mere anticipation he'd endured of having to fight his little brother fang and claw to merely stay and rest, and then it having it all been for naught...

_Heh_, Inuyasha smirked to himself, his thoughts returning to the present as Sesshomaru and he continued walking toward a destination that only the daiyoukai knew of. Even with a memory from a year ago like that, it still somewhat calmed Inuyasha down, his anxiousness of the soon-to-be moonless sky steadily dissipating in the presence of his sibling.

"We will be there soon," came Sesshomaru's abrupt words.

"Uh- 'kay," the hanyou replied, not sure what other kind of response he should give. He looked around at the landscape to occupy his mind from the odd silence. Apparently he'd lost himself in his memories and before he realized it they had made it to the mystery location of... Huh...

Something about this area of wherever... was very familiar... Inuyasha squinted, trying to remember if, and had he been, when, he was here before...

The colors in the sky sunk behind the horizon, the night drawing over the world like a blanket.

As he walked alongside his brother, still taking in the sights before him, he didn't feel the change, and before he knew it, his hair was black, his ears were shelled, his fingernails blunt and his senses all but utterly non-existent.

"This... place..." Inuyasha said, trailing off and still peering about.

"We are here." Sesshomaru stopped, standing so still a tree would be envious.

The hanyou turned human looked around- up, over, to the side. "Where exactly... is..." Inuyasha's sight stopped directly in front of him, his body paralyzed, his mind following suite. "...here..."

"You have suffered seasonally for far too long, Inuyasha. It is time you faced your wraiths regarding your mother's death."

"Mother's... grave..." Inuyasha barely managed to rasp out their location. Without looking at the one he spoke to, he painfully whined, "How... How could you do this..."

"It is necessary," was the simple, too simple, reply.

"I can't... I-"

"You will."

"No! I can't... I can't do this... I can't... not by myself... I can't-!" Inuyasha started to panic, his breaths coming through short pulls from his esophagus. "Sesshomaru... how could you... not by... not alone... I can't..."

"No one said you had to face this alone, Inuyasha," came Sesshomaru's soft answer. Inuyasha turned his head to regard his sibling finally, not having realized tears were leaking from his eyes.

"But-" Inuyasha shook his head, flinging tear drops this way and that. There was no way Sesshomaru could include himself in something like _this!_ He was youkai, a pureblood. There was no way he would be able to understand... to even comprehend-!

"You aren't alone, Inuyasha!" a new voice called out.

Inuyasha turned in the direction of the new speaker, body quivering with the overwhelming feelings of a mortal, ones that were intensified tenfold because of his human night and where he was.

"You have all of us."

"And even if we aren't here, we... will always be with you."

Inuyasha stared in complete shock. "K-Kagome? Miroku? Sango? M-Mizumi? But why are you-?"

"Sesshomaru sent Mizumi and me to get Miroku and Sango... so we could all be here with you," Kagome answered as she walked up to him from the forest's edge, the monk, demon slayer and bird youkai following calmly.

Inuyasha's head shot to his brother. The youkai was no where to be found. "Sesshomaru..."

"It's okay, Inuyasha," Kagome's voice said kindly, her still smaller hands encompassing his arm from the side. "He knows. He knew you'd need to do this without him, and he's giving you this opportunity."

"Opportun-...?" Inuyasha repeated before his attention turned to the second pair of small hands that were hugging his other arm.

"He- He had told me that... you would have never done it by yourself. Had he not led you here, and had you not followed, he said you'd have never come and made amends with your sorrows. He said that while, from the point you reached your mother's gravesite, it would be up to you, he wanted it to be his gift to you," Mizumi explained teary-eyed herself.

"A gift?" Inuyasha was confused. Why would Sesshomaru give him a gift? And what for?

"It's your birthday the fourth week of the autumn season, right?" Kagome prompted.

Inuyasha's eyes widened as his friends smiled warmly, their presences encircling his own.

"Come on," Sango encouraged.

"Why don't we all go together?" Miroku smiled softly as they all began to walk toward Izayoi-hime's final resting place.

Inuyasha nearly fell apart. His family... everyone... they were here.

As they knelt before the simple gravestone, hands held with one another's as they bowed their heads, Inuyasha couldn't help but think that one very important person _was_ missing, someone that he now knew was the only one that would be able to fill in a spot in his life that... one he wasn't exactly sure what entailed... but would be successfully accomplished by... only him...

"Sesshomaru..." Inuyasha whispered as he began facing the sorrows that he had always refused to release.

Up until now.

* * *

Author's Note: Aww, I'm gonna cry. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it (especially the part where we got to see what happened to the tiger)!


	24. Revelation

**Chapter 24: Revelation**

_9 Years, 11 months and 29 days after the Departure of Rin; the beginning of the Return_  
(the Continuation of Chapter 23)

Sesshomaru sat in his study, gazing out into the night sky, the warm breeze of the summer months teasing his skin with hot caresses. The youkai sighed as he stood, wandering subconsciously toward a source of cold water to cool his heated skin. Along his way his thoughts turned to his brother as they often did when his mind was not otherwise preoccupied with treaties, land deeds, and other regional duties he had the obligation of seeing through and completing in a timely order.

Another sigh escaped passed his lips.

Inuyasha...

It had been eight months since he had led Inuyasha to his mother's grave to face the specters that he'd carried for little more than his entire life. It had been an act which he'd been contemplating for years, ever since his brother had first come to stay at the estate, ever since he had first witnessed his sibling's autumn sickness. He had not understood then as he did now, why the hanyou had been affected every year due to the premature absence of someone...

And then came the inevitable time when he had sent Rin to live in Inuyasha's village to grow into a young woman, safer where she was there than had he allowed her to stay in the castle. The following months... had been very similar to how Inuyasha had suffered when his mother had first passed on to the afterlife. The similarities, once he had come to realize them, were shockingly similar, his sibling's and his. Only now did he understand that had Inuyasha _not_ been with him in presence, living in the palace at the time of Rin's departure, he, too, would have sunk into the same sickness eventually.

He had felt the beginning of that same despair only once before, prior to the girl's introduction into his life, centuries ago when their father had passed away. He had slipped into what Inuyasha referred to now as Mourning Sickness, but had expressed it a much different way, as he was told by the half-demon was completely normal; loss for everyone, while the initial same in impact, was expressed in many different ways.

So Sesshomaru went on in life, angry and cold as he was, never once giving thought as to why he felt as such. He hadn't begun his "cleansing", or self-reformation, until he had met the young girl who had essentially become everything and more to him when she was only 7 human years old. Now, nearly ten years later she would be coming back to the West in only a day's time, escorted solely by his little brother.

He had not seen Rin for almost a year at this point, Inuyasha having more free time to make frequent, long trips there. Especially since they had returned from the grave of Inuyasha's mother.

It... was odd, but Sesshomaru almost felt as if his brother had been trying to avoid him as much as possible... but why, he wasn't quite sure. And when he had decided to bring Rin back to the castle upon written word from the old priestess that the girl was ready, Inuyasha had all but jumped on the chance to be the girl's personal escort.

Sesshomaru came back to himself from recollection and let a breath of anxiety and confusion leave his chest at the mere memory, his body having found, undressed and already in the process of submerging into the cool water of an alcove found just inland from the great water. The youkai stared up at the moon, clouds veiling its otherwise magnificent glow, before his eyes fell to the pool he occupied, the water a despairingly dull color.

It seemed like weeks, not merely days, that his brother had been gone. While he was confident in his brother's abilities to protect not only himself and the being in which he was sent to retrieve, he still... fretted. While he was unable to decipher most of the odd notions, never mind feelings, that came alive in him where his sibling was concerned, he pegged most of the blame for his lack of understanding of any of them on his brother and all the wretch's confounding hanyou ways.

The great daiyoukai shook his head trying to rid himself of the uncomfortable pain it caused when he thought too much on things, leaning back against a large boulder to try and relax once more in a rather cool breeze he was lucky enough to catch at this time of night. And with a whisper that, in retrospect, he had thought meant nothing more than merely wanting to see Rin in his home again after so many years, a quiet murmur that could be heard by none other than himself, sighed past Sesshomaru's lips.

"Hurry home, little brother, so that this foolish feeling of anxiety will finally leave me be."

* * *

They were almost to the borders of Sesshomaru's land, most of their journey having been spent in useless talking having to deal with Rin telling him of some art craft she'd succeeded at or the hanyou explaining his days living at the palace (because, truly, living with his brother was an adventure every day... one big exhausting, confusing, usually angering adventure).

And during all exchanges Inuyasha couldn't help but realize that in the time that he hadn't seen her, and while it was in all essence a short time to him, he hadn't failed to notice that she had still seemed to have matured beyond his expectations, both in body and in spirit; Rin had definitely grown up into a beautiful young woman.

But even upon such a revelation, the half-demon couldn't help blabbing on and on about all the pain his older sibling caused him day in and day out, and had been doing so for the past hour or two. Rin had been polite enough to withstand each story he shared with her, proof of having matured considering how short her attention span as a child had once been. It made Inuyasha smile absently at the thought, a warm feeling filling his torso as he continued on with his story from less than a year ago.

"And THEN that asshole had the nerve to-" the hanyou griped, ending his tirade after a few more moments of hot air spewing from his mouth. "Geez, I really hate that guy. He's got some balls to have done that... leading me to my mom's grave like that... what a sneaky bast-"

"Inuyasha-san... I'm sorry I interrupted you, but I think you have it wrong," Rin said softly, placing a smooth hand on his forearm to stop him from his mindless rambling. The hanyou paused mid-breath, his attention caught momentarily as he looked down at the slight female beside him. "If you think about it... from the very beginning, of when we first witnessed your Autumn sickness... Lord Sesshomaru had been concerned."

"Bull, if he-"

"Shh!" Rin hushed him instantly, taking on a stern look as she held up her index finger in reprimand. Inuyasha clamped his mouth shut, her posture and tone reminding him of days thankfully long passed and "sit"-less. "Maybe Lord Sesshomaru didn't know it then... but from what you've just told me of what he did... I know now that my first thoughts when I was a child were correct, that he cares for you now as he did all those years ago. That's why he took you to your mother's grave, Inuyasha-san, and I think that you know that. However, I also believe that you're trying to convince yourself that he doesn't have feelings for you... and I don't know why..."

"I..." Inuyasha started involuntarily, his mouth still flapping about when he'd caught himself and turned into silence. He averted his eyes from the girl's curious gaze lest she see something he wasn't ready to face yet.

He knew though... He knew his brother, cold-hearted as he once thought the youkai was, did in fact care for him. Even now, after nearly more than a decade in his brother's good graces (or as good as his graces got), he still found the idea crazy... heart-warming... breath stealing... all that and more... and still completely and utterly crazy.

"That so, huh? Keh," Inuyasha began to murmur. A crazy idea indeed.

Dog ears flattened against white hair momentarily as his brow furrowed, looking down at the ground. Even though he knew... that wasn't half of it. What really got to the half-demon was when he did finally realize his brother finally saw him as an equal... when he HAD accepted the fact that Sesshomaru cared for him... that... that he might just...

"In all honesty, with all the things you've told me, Inuyasha-san?" Rin said suddenly a few moments later, catching Inuyasha's attention. The half-dog warrior gave an absent, gruff nod, deciding to humor the girl so he could get away from his thoughts momentarily.

He looked forward, pausing as he finally noticed that they had entered Sesshomaru's territory without him realizing it, so caught up in his thoughts as he'd been.

"It sounds..." Rin sighed, gathering her wits about her, as if what she was about to say would be life-altering, the hanyou thoughtful-looking as he cocked his head to the side. "It sort of sounds like my friend Yuma and a boy named Hankuro back in the village. Hankuro made her so frustrated, so angry with his scoldings and telling her to not do this or that since she was a girl; she was especially upset with him when he helped her learn to swim even though she'd almost drowned when she was younger. She got upset when he told her that it was okay to be scared after something like that but she shouldn't let it rule her life, that it'd only be detrimental to her health and that she had a hard enough time staying safe as it was.

"She felt like he was calling her weak, and in her anger went to prove him wrong by jumping into a lake from a high cliff. She didn't anticipate the depth and started to panic; there were two other kids with us when she did that. One went to get help and the other couldn't swim. I didn't know how to either even though I wasn't afraid of the water, but I tried to swim to her and couldn't. Thankfully Hankuro had been coming to join us and had run into our friend who went to get help, and he jumped into the water so fast it was hard to believe he was human and not youkai... but he jumped in and saved her from drowning. After that incident he'd follow her around everywhere and Yuma would yell at him constantly for it.

"Months later one night, it was late I remember, when the village leader rang the bell to gather everyone up near Kaede-baachan's hut, it was announced that while our soldiers had won the small scuffling war with a rival town, there were casualties, one of the lost lives among them being Hankuro's beloved father. At the news, Hankuro fled into the forest regardless that it was the beginning of winter and snow coated the ground. A search party was formed but everyone had come up short within an hour, and they feared the worst; if they couldn't find one seventeen year old boy within walking distance he may have met his demise in the unrelenting forest of Inuyasha.

"But they hadn't given Hankuro enough credit. While he was angry and in pain at the loss of his father, he wasn't mindless as he ran into the forest, and he certainly wasn't alone. We later found out that Yuma had followed him all the way to Goshinboku, the tree you'd been bound to. There's a hole that has an arm-length tunnel into the tree before it hollows out, allowing a few bodies to fit in there. But this place was a secret to everyone but me and Yuma; though I didn't follow Hankuro, Yuma did and knew exactly where he'd go. And she stayed with him there in the hollow in the dead of winter while he cried his grief and loss out until dawn. They didn't speak of what had happened that night in each other's presences, and they continued to fight as they always had after that.

"But then one day, a couple of months later, Yuma got really sick and didn't show up for our studies with Kaede-baachan, and Hankuro said he'd go see what was keeping her. He came back later and let us know she was sick and that he was going to miss today's training and then left. I later found out that he went to leave flowers for Yuma by her hut, as well as a covered pitcher of warm broth he'd cooked for her since he knew she lived by herself. When he went to leave another covered pitcher the next day, Yuma was standing at her door, waiting for him. As he walked up to her he smiled. And she told me that in that moment she realized it finally, and she smiled back at him."

"Realized what?" Inuyasha asked.

"She realized that she was in love with Hankuro. Because regardless of all the fighting that happened between them, in the end, they were always there for each other. Hankuro with protecting Yuma as much as he could, looking out for her and helping her face things that scared her, and Yuma taking care of Hankuro when he needed it most, keeping his secrets and being a comfort to him. That's why I say that when you talk of the relationship with Lord Sesshomaru... of the things that you've gone through together, helped get each other through... that you sound like my two friends."

Inuyasha's eyes widened as his brain slowly registered the things she was saying... the things she was implying... "You're saying that it sounds like... that I..."

"Yes," Rin nodded as she continued walking, not making eye contact with him, her following words straightforward and blatant as her hums and the smile she gave to the distance before them were soft and light. "It sounds like you're in love with Lord Sesshomaru, Inuyasha-san."

* * *

Author's Note: Arrr. Realizations are a long time coming, haha! Hope you liked!


	25. Return

**Chapter 25: Return**

_10 years after the Departure of Rin; the Return_  
(the Continuation of Chapter 24)

He had been in his study when he'd felt the overwhelming shift in power enter his territory. Although the youki emitting from the other individual was quite possibly equal in strength to his own, he was not concerned in the least as he would have usually been. After all, this power often unsettled his own aura whenever they were near one another, and it was only expected to happen here, in the home of their ancestors. Only someone of his equal rank could penetrate his concentration with such a presence...

_Inuyasha._

Sesshomaru brushed his work aside and stood, exiting his study as an anxious guard scurried up to him from behind.

"My Lord! They're-!"

Despite the guard's announcement, to which he merely waved a hand at, shooing the male away, he continued on toward the front entrance of his home.

"I know," he answered to no one.

They had finally returned.

* * *

Inuyasha had been carrying her on his back for the better part of an hour now as they stepped foot into his brother's personally owned land, the castle still a mile or two away but just as intimidating from this distance as it would be up close. While the hanyou could have made the distance to the palace in under a minute, he thought better on it, seeing as how he was carrying "precious cargo", said cargo albeit having one minor defection. The half-demon wondered briefly how his brother would take him referring to Rin as "cargo" never mind the fact that she was slightly "defective."

_Heh, cargo that I specially imported for the bastard_, Inuyasha chortled at his own humor.

All joking aside, however, the hanyou wasn't about to chance anymore damage or injury to befall the young female... who was currently starting to irritate the back of his neck with her anxious sighing the closer they drew to the palace. The closer they got to Sesshomaru. It didn't help matters that all her anxiousness was starting to rub off on him either.

Inuyasha snorted dismissively as he braced himself where he stood, nudged his body upward and swung the startled girl around so she was resting against his chest now.

"Ah! Inuyasha san!"

"What? Did I hurt you?" the half-demon began to panic, sniffing at the girl and making her giggle. Hm, she didn't seem to be hurt...

"No, no. It's just... that was so dashing! Lord Sesshomaru has never done something like that before! Well, he has carried me, but he hasn't put me on his back and then slung me in front of him like that," Rin explained, falling back into memories of her pleasant past as they reached the gates.

"Huh. Yeah, Sesshomaru isn't exactly the kinda guy that lug humans around like a sack'o'potatoes... actually, he's not the kind of guy to lug anything around 'cept for that 'I'm holier than thou' frown he's always got on. And maybe the fluffy."

The girl barked in laughter, covering her mouth the next moment to hide the very un-lady like reaction. "Inuyasha-san, you shouldn't speak like that of Sesshomaru-sama! You might be overheard," she teased, just before she caught sight of a garden she'd never seen before just outside of the castle. She wiggled in the half-demon's arms before Inuyasha loosened his grip, letting her slip to her uninjured leg at which point she braced herself and her weight against it as she hobble-hopped over to the beautiful flowers.

She sat down amongst them as she once had leisure to do before closing her eyes and attuning all of her senses to everything around her, taking in her old life once again. "I missed this very much," Rin admitted, eyes still closed softly.

Inuyasha walked up to where she sat, smiling, ears flickering this way and that as something or other kept flying past them. _Stupid bug_, the hanyou growled, swatting at air. He turned his attention back to the young woman. "You didn't sit in the meadow near the village?"

"Oh, I did. It just... well, it wasn't the same, you know? It was special here, because I was living here with Lord Sesshomaru and Jaken-sama. This was my home. It still is. But I really think that no matter where I am, if Lord Sesshomaru is around, then that's where my home is, where my family is," Rin explained, opening her eyes and smiling up at the cloudless sky before looking down and fumbling this way and that with the flowers she'd just plucked from the ground.

_Huh_, Inuyasha thought silently. Apparently the kid had really grown up while away, such a notion still taking him by surprise when she showed it like this. Most human children and adolescents (even some adults) had to have an actual, physical place to call home while most adults, human or demon, lived where they pleased, content as long as their company was around and or nearby. He had thought that way once... actually, he'd thought that until quite recently, her shared knowledge only helping his resolve along its way.

Inuyasha had always been searching for his home, for a physical place he felt comfortable enough in and could live out his life, leave and come back to when he wanted. But while that had been obtainable for a while, he hadn't been able to keep it. His first home had been with his mother, and when she'd died, he'd been chased out of the village and away from his home... having to watch from a distance as the villagers burnt it down.

His second home was when he'd come across his old village, when he'd met Kikyou. And then Naraku happened, Kikyou betrayed him and sealed him to a tree, his silent sleep dreams always being about 'home' but never finding it.

His third hope that he'd found a place to call home, was when he'd met Kagome. She was part of his home, and soon, others became part of it, too; Shippo, Miroku, Sango, Kilala... even that mangey wolf, Kouga... they all had a home with one another. No matter where they went.

But then came the time to say goodbye to Kagome,... then came the time for Shippo to set out on his own, for Sango and Miroku to finally wed, and for Kouga to return to lead his pack back in the mountains.

And he was alone again. He hadn't really had anything to move on to from there like his friends did.

And, what he had formally known as "home"... well, his "home" had dispersed to their own lives... their own... homes.

That was when Sesshomaru started popping up here and there. And after that, it was a whirlwind of this and that and here and there but it was always with Sesshomaru, never Inuyasha by himself.

And before the hanyou knew it... Sesshomaru's estate... his palace... Sesshomaru himself had become...

"It's home," came Rin's voice, shocking Inuyasha out of his thoughts.

"Huh?"

Rin only smiled before she stood up unsteadily, though managing easily enough. She walked in front of the half-demon. "For you," she said, presenting him with what looked to be a... petal-like sculpture. It was a flower that looked like it had just bloomed, but it was made out of many different kinds of flowers to make one blooming one. Inuyasha smiled as he remembered something he'd almost forgotten in his long-ago past.

"My mother used to make these for me," he shared, still looking down at the present in his claws, holding it as delicately as possible. He looked back up at Rin's smiling brown eyes. "Heh, thanks. I'll keep this good and guarded," he promised as he carefully stashed it away in the safety of his sleeve. "Well, we better- AH!" Inuyasha yelled out, swatting air as he fell onto his back.

"Inuyasha-san?" Rin asked worriedly. "What is it?"

"Damn bug! Ow..." the hanyou moaned, holding his ear.

Rin blinked. "A... bee? Did you get stung, Inuyasha-san?" She bent down in front of and in between the hanyou's outstretched legs, pulling him forward by his top. "Come here, let me see."

"Ow, ow, ow! Careful!" he whined but fell limp upon her inspection.

"Oww," she said in sympathy as she took in the wound. "It's swelling already..."

"Yeah, I coulda told ya that, you damn brat. Gimme my ear back," Inuyasha grumped, pulling back and pouting as he fingered his ear gently hoping to maybe squeeze the swelling out of it. The next thing he knew a soft, warm hand was caressing his cheek. He blinked looking at the girl in front of him.

"You'll be fine, Inuyasha-san, you're strong. A bee sting won't kill you," Rin said. As she stood up shakily she made the mistake of leaning on her injured leg, sending her downwards and on top of the hanyou. "Ah!"

"Ugh, sure a bee sting won't kill me, but you might. Geez you're heavy for a girl!" Inuyasha immediately regretted his words as he was hit upside the head none too gently. "Ah! Mercy, mercy!" the hanyou crowed, laughing.

"You're horrible, Inuyasha-san!" the girl blushed, stammering as she looked this way and that awkwardly, something bothering her. Inuyasha's good ear perked at this.

"What's wrong?"

"Um... I, uh,... can't stand up," came the tiny, embarrassed whisper.

Inuyasha smiled. "It's okay, falling down on me won't kill ya. 'specially since I won't let ya rot out here all by yourself. Alright, come on then," he said as he hoisted both of the up, slinging her on his back again. "We should probably head inside anyway, bet that bastard is nearly having a panic attack wondering where you are."

"And you."

The hanyou blushed, moving to walk. "Yeah, I doubt it," he grumbled. Rin just smiled, waving to the servants she still remembered, their smiling faces and waving arms making her heart flutter.

* * *

He didn't like it.

What he had seen, as he passed a window, moments before... He didn't like it at all.

He had been as close to elated as one of his stature and composure was able to get when he saw his brother and the young woman that was Rin in the gardens. He had nearly felt the uplift of his mouth at the sight but then she had stood up, wobbling slightly like something was wrong. Sesshomaru's eyes had narrowed in scrutiny at what could have happened.

Rin then handed his brother a flower bloom, and as small as it was, it was a token one gave to another in affection. Sesshomaru's grandmother had given his father and he one once when he was very little... and then he'd seen Izayoi, Inuyasha's human mother, put one in his father's hands. Though while all those times the flowers had been given out of affection for a friend, a family member... the one Izayoi had given to the Inu no Taishou was out of more than mere affection. It was out of love, the kind one shared with a lover, with a mate.

In one instant Inuyasha and Rin's figures morphed from hanyou and young woman to that of Sesshomaru's father and Inuyasha's mother. The next moment it was over. But it only needed to happen that fast for it to affect him so much.

Something about it... about them together... Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed as he pivoted and continued to walk to the front. Something was tightening in his bloodstream as he realized... He didn't want Inuyasha near Rin right now.

He paused just before the entry way that was open wide, awaiting the arrival of Inuyasha and his human ward. Moments passed, lost in his thoughts, until he heard _her_ voice chime.

"Lord Sesshomaru!"

The response was automatic.

"Rin," the demon acknowledged. Both he and the young woman remained in their initial places; Rin propped on Inuyasha's back and Sesshomaru standing at the top of the slight stairs before them, peering down his nose at them.

"Uhh..." came an awkward greeting from the half-demon.

Sesshomaru's attention seemed to realize and focus in on Rin's transportation, eyes narrowing at his brother in analysis. "Why is Rin slung over your back like cargo, hanyou?" the youkai asked. Inuyasha had the decency to look taken aback by the abrupt, cold comment, never mind the use of the term 'hanyou' in _that_ tone... The way he said it not having been heard since the days they had been trying to kill each other.

"Well..." the half-demon started.

"It was my fault, my lord," Rin said, slowly and carefully pulling herself from Inuyasha's back. "I was wandering in the forest earlier today, looking for some berries and stepped in a hole and twisted my ankle. It'll be okay in the next day or two, as long as I stay off of it for the most part and put most of my weight on the other leg," the girl reassured, smiling as she held onto Inuyasha's sleeve for support unconsciously.

"Hn," was all the demon said as he looked over both Rin and Inuyasha causing one to beam and one to pull his eyebrows together, wondering who the hell put that stick back up Sesshomaru's ass.

"Heh, well, what're we hangin' around here for? Let's get you inside to soak that leg in some warm water, brat," Inuyasha said gruffly, anything to unsettle the rather _unsettling_ silence that had overcome the trio in the entrance way. He scooped Rin into his arms, sweeping her off her feet like a princess as she giggled, and bound up the stairs. He was only stopped in place next to his sibling by an outstretched arm that bared magenta stripes.

Inuyasha blinked, confused at why his trek was being blocked, and then looked to his sibling. "What?"

"I will tend to Rin. You are obviously incapable of even escorting her back uninjured to the palace from that hovel you call a village, _hanyou_."

Inuyasha stared as Sesshomaru easily maneuvered the woman-child into his own arms and gracefully made his way further into the palace and out of sight. The half-demon stood there for a long while, mouth agape.

"What... the hell just happened?" Inuyasha asked aloud, no one around to hear the confused pain in his voice.

* * *

Author's Note: Funny thing is that this wasn't how this chapter was suppose to go. I had written the outline for Ch 25... and then as I was writing it I got carried away after the first paragraph of Inuyasha's POV. Haha. And I'm excited for the next chapter! It's Feudal Days of Their Lives! Again!


	26. Assumptions

**Chapter 26: Assumptions**

_A few hours after the Return of Rin_  
(the Continuation of Chapter 25)

He had been walking around the castle for a few hours now, absentminded of where he was actually headed, trying to make some logical sense of why his brother would have suddenly, in the short time he'd been gone to fetch Rin, changed back to his old, half-breed hating self.

It just... didn't make any sense... What on earth could have triggered this?

"Do you think he will choose the last one?"

"I don't know, he seemed fond of spending time with her. At least... he didn't kick her out like he did all the others. She simply bid him farewell and said she'd see him again soon."

Voices... Inuyasha paused, wondering what the elderly servants were talking about as they did their laundry loads, unnoticing of the young hanyou's presence.

"Hmm, we'll see, I suppose. But you know how our Lord is, very picky he is. Just like his father."

"Well, I'd expect him to be, especially with a prospective mate needing to be chosen for either he or the young lord Inuyasha."

_...what?_ Inuyasha thought, blinking.

"Ohh, speaking of that! You know," one woman said, her voice hushing as she began to whisper to her friend. "My cousin works with one of the Elders, and he told me that the Council had told our Lord that because he himself hadn't chosen a mate yet that, by decree, Lord Inuyasha would be placed in an arranged marriage and mated."

"What!" the other woman nearly shouted, her friend shushing her frantically.

Inuyasha's eyes bugged at what he was hearing as well. He was with the scandalized one... _What the hell?_

"You know how the Council likes to stick to the old ways. Since Lord Sesshomaru is unmated, young lord Inuyasha is naturally his heir, and, to ensure the title stays in the bloodline, the young lord is to be mated if Lord Sesshomaru refuses to mate at present himself. However, his other choice is that he can allow his young brother to be mated while he takes his time to find the mate he wishes to have."

"That's why...?" Inuyasha said silently to himself. Sesshomaru was... trying to find him a mate?

He couldn't... why did he... why was Sesshomaru doing this? Did- Did he somehow figure out... what had taken Inuyasha so long to? What Inuyasha had yet to fully understand? Was that why he was sacrificing his little brother to an arranged marriage! Because he was disgusted with his brother's feeling?

The hanyou nearly snarled in agony, in rage, as he flung himself into a dead run outside and into the forest. However, as he shot from the castle and into the foliage, pausing to balance on a high tree branch, he caught sight of white in the soft moonlight.

The revered youkai lord and Rin were currently occupying the garden Sesshomaru had made for her return. It was full of the girl's favorite flowers, and some she'd never seen before that he'd had imported, ones she marveled at just the same. Upon a scan of the area, it was easy enough to catch a glimpse of various small pools, each housing koi in them. One of the glittering ponds was what Rin was gazing into now, Sesshomaru standing behind her, merely observing her reaction.

She moved to stand, turning to him carefully, a smile on spread softly across her face. She said something to the youkai and he nodded... but then... in the presence of seemingly no one but Rin... he gave a gentle smile in return which caused Rin's to brighten all the more.

Inuyasha's heart gave a strange lurched, pulling itself down into his stomach. Sesshomaru had never really smiled at him _like that_ before... He couldn't even remember a time when he'd seen the youkai even smile at him _period_.

The hanyou exhaled a shuddering breath, not realizing that his nerves had tightened considerably and his sad eyes were glued to the scene before him, analyzing every thing he could... every thing he couldn't be a part of.

They... truly did look good together; maybe that was why Sesshomaru had been angry with Inuyasha and so against the hanyou retrieving Rin by himself in the first place... Maybe Sesshomaru... maybe he held feelings for the human girl...

While any other time, when in any other mood, in a different time, when he was a different Inuyasha, he would have taken the time to snort and spit on about his brother falling for a human like their father once had... but... he couldn't now.

Inuyasha had slumped against the trunk of the tree he was in, his eyes heavy with moisture he didn't realize he'd allowed to build.

Looking at the two now... he realized what he should have seen all along... all of this... Sesshomaru's taking Inuyasha in after having battled each other for so long... having patience with him while he learned the ways of the aristocratic life... doing the things he did for him... it was all because...

...it was all initially _for_ _her_. It had all been _because of her_. She'd changed the once cold-heart Sesshomaru harbored. She melted it with her human warmth...

...and Inuyasha... he had merely been there to bide Sesshomaru's time. To be a distraction... but maybe that wasn't it... maybe it was merely... that Sesshomaru changed... and he wanted to change the things he'd done... one of those things including the way he'd shunned his younger, half-brother.

Inuyasha's chest tightened, air becoming harder for his lungs to grasp. He felt happy... yet unbearably defeated.

His brother had changed. He was absolutely sure of this now. And for that, he was happy, and happy to see him be happy and express it, for once in his life. But he was also sad. His feelings...were unrequited. Had always been.

Would always be.

Inuyasha stopped in mid thought. He didn't want to linger on this.

A sudden flash of what the old females were talking about earlier sounded in his mind. He wasn't entirely sure the women knew what they were talking about... or whether what he remembered from a few years back, from when all the females had originally come to court his brother, was even accurate, but...

Had Sesshomaru really begun looking for a mate for Inuyasha all the way back then, too?

The hanyou turned to look back at Rin and his brother, Sesshomaru seeming to bid her goodnight as she walked inside alone.

A fairy tale love; one human, the other demon, each side, at some point, having looked at the other with disgust, yet... yet here they were.

Huh. They really had looked... good... together. Inuyasha admitted to himself, a pang of hurt piercing his chest. He watched as his brother looked up at the moon for a moment before bowing his head, as if also bidding the gods a good night, before retreating to his private rooms.

And Inuyasha made his decision.

He sat on his branch merely contemplating before setting off to the portal in the east that would transport him to the sky residence of the Elders.

He would have the old bastards that started this help him get his family out of it... and he would make a deal with them... one which would at least be in his own terms, regardless if his brother had been doing so for him for the past couple years...

He would accept the duty of him having to look for and take a mate.

_Because someone in love..._ he thought of his mother's words from so long ago. Ones she'd told him he'd understand when he was older. _"Because someone in love will always be willing to do anything for the other... even if it means they can't be with the one they love, the way they want to be... even if it means allowing that love to be with another..."_

* * *

The warm rays of sun had steadily awoken him, and he rolled over and grasped at the body beside him...

...only, there was no body for his bare arms to grasp.

Sesshomaru cracked an eye open, peering down at the place he'd thought he'd see at least an indention mark of a body having previously been there. But there was nothing, absolutely no indication that anyone had shared his bed the previous night. As if... it had never even...

It hadn't happened at all.

Because had someone shared his bed, he would have been able to smell the other's lingering scent. But there was no smell there but his own...

And he finally realized that he'd dreamt it.

He'd dreamt of his little brother's slumbering form, nestled contentedly next to him.

The youkai closed his eyes, an ache resonating deep in his chest.

_Inuyasha..._ the youkai sighed internally. The difficult emotions the hanyou made him feel would truly be the end of him if the hanyou himself didn't take his life from the complete lack of respect the youkai had showed him the other day when Rin had returned to the palace.

What had he been thinking, talking to his sibling like that? At the time, all he had seen was... his brother close to a human female again. And while Rin was her own person in all rights, her resemblance to the miko from the future was still somewhat startling. It had not helped matters when the youkai had eavesdropped on the scene in the gardens... where he had seen an emotion that could very well blossom into something much more potent and dangerous than mere companionship between his human ward and brother.

He did not like the implications the saying "like father, like son" brought to mind either. What if Inuyasha's human blood betrayed his demon heritage and longed to be with a human female? What would he do then-

Sesshomaru paused mid-thought, shutting his eyes tightly for a moment against the sun's light.

He had no right to think that. His feelings for his brother... though he now saw them for what they truly were... indecent how they may seem for one's kin... he could not choose his sibling's path based merely on his own selfish desire. No matter how much he'd like to, which is why he knew he had to hurry and find himself a mate before the Elders put in their final demand, forcing his younger brother into-

No. He would _absolutely not_ allow Inuyasha to live to rest of his life in a loveless mating. He would not... watch as his brother spent his days with another. Not until it was absolutely unavoidable. He would instead sacrifice his own happiness... and he would take a mate to spare his little brother.

It was truly the only thing he could do.

A fierce knocking of feet upon the wooden floors just outside his room sounded suddenly, startling the youkai out of his overwhelming thoughts. A guard called out, "My Lord! My Lord!"

The demon did not have the able mind for this right now and he growled, staying where he was, naked and under his linens, cursing the guard to the depths of hell.

"My Lord! Please, may I enter? I have urgent news from the Council of Elders!"

Sesshomaru froze momentarily as his mind swirled. Had they already beaten him to it? Was Inuyasha's fate sealed? "What is it? Enter!"

"My- My Lord," the guard gasped, trying to catch his breath from the run he'd just made before continuing. "The Council wanted to let you know that it is unnecessary for you to find a mate presently, that you may take your time in your search.

"They said... they said you could take your time in procuring your Intended since the young lord has agreed to search one out for himself now."

Sesshomaru's mind screamed, _WHAT?_, his eyes conveying every undignified emotion running throughout his body as his youki bloomed suddenly, shaking the room and everything in it.

* * *

He had almost reached that despicable, asinine, _foolish_ hanyou's room, clad in nothing but hakama and an open top, the edges billowing behind him in fierce bursts of wind and youki.

He paused once he rounded the corner and saw Rin letting herself into Inuyasha's chambers without so much as an announcement of her presence (something only Sesshomaru believed he was able to do in regards to Inuyasha's privacy).

He heard a female's gasp... _Rin_, he thought. Though he realized the sound was not made out of fear but of surprise when he caught sight, from the angle he was at, of her back, her body apparently having stopped dead in its tracks at whatever it was she saw before her. And, as he slowed his steps, the closer he came to the half-demon's room, the more he came to realize something was terribly wrong.

Rin gasped out again. "Inu- Inuyasha-san! What... what are you-?"

The shock in the girl's voice, never mind the... odd scent coming from Inuyasha's room made Sesshomaru's mind up for him. He truly did not have the patience to wait and see what had startled his ward, and took no mind as he walked in, making his presence known, his own eyes widening upon the sight as well.

"Damn it! Can't a guy get a little privacy around here?" Inuyasha was sitting up on his bed, still under the covers, an unknown female just as naked as he probably was, frozen in place as her body seemed to have been moving to straddle that of Inuyasha's.

"Anytime, you can leave. I'm kinda-" Inuyasha began angrily to say but was cut off.

"Rin," was all the youkai said in a voice that conveyed his immediate dismissal of her presence was a command and not a request.

"H-hai." Rin left, shutting the door behind her softly.

"What the hell? You can go, too, bastard!"

Sesshomaru merely stood there, staring though his eyes were hooded, his aura so chaotic it was difficult to pin-point exactly what he was feeling, by scent or by sight.

Inuyasha's hackles rose at the seemingly silent challenge.

"Fine, you wanna watch, you sick fuck, fine!" and with that Inuyasha grabbed hold of the female's bare hips and pulled her over so that she hovered above his groin. She whined in fear and excitement, her mind whirling with erotic images of being taken by both powerful inu brothers, luring them in with her aroused scent and then having them rut her together.

The female's fantasy ended abruptly when she felt her body pulled backwards sharply, slamming into a wall on the opposite side of the room (coincidentally where the daiyoukai had been) before she realized the light whip, one of the current Inu no Taishou's attacks, had encircled her torso and was now burning away each layer of flesh it came into contact with. The yellow ribbon had yet to retract from her body, and she screamed trying to claw the fierce energy off but to no avail; every time she touched it her hand would suffer the damage as well.

The last things she coherently remembered was the demon lord staring a defiant half-demon down, both snarling at one another before the Lord of the House blurred out of sight and ended up knocking the younger inu onto his back, having to physically struggle it seemed to hold Inuyasha down. The growls ceased the next moment as the dog lord placed his fangs at the half-demon's throat, effectively silencing the irate, crude remarks the other had been screaming at him with.

...and still, both brothers were entirely oblivious to her... current state... of... distress...

* * *

Sesshomaru had his fangs on his neck, nearly piercing the skin there. Inuyasha had ceased in struggling moments ago but the warning that his brother threatened him with remained. The half-demon kept his mouth shut but his claws were currently digging into his sibling's upper arms, piercing skin and drawing blood, legs trying to somehow wedge out from under his brother's weight.

"Se-ssho-ma-ru..." Inuyasha growled slowly, carefully. "Let... go..."

The youkai growled, vibrations from chest through fangs and into Inuyasha's neck silencing the half-demon again. Sesshomaru gave another warning nip, not piercing skin but clarifying his threat if things that follow should not go his way.

The demon felt the younger one go limp in begrudging defeat. He removed his fangs, still holding tight to his brother's person as he moved to sit up and face his angry sibling.

"Inuyasha," the youkai said, eyes narrowed to slits, red having already bled into the whites of his eyes. The hanyou made no sound, only frowned angrily and listened intently. "I gave you no consent of mine, little brother, to procure a mate for yourself," came his dangerous growl.

Inuyasha remained silent, his own eyes narrowing.

"By law, you are still not yet fully matured, and are under my care, as well as my restrictions," Sesshomaru clarified, removing a claw from his brother's neck.

"You can't tell me who I can and can't love, shitty-asshole!" the half-demon snarled himself, struggling once again.

A twinge rippled from the demon's eyebrow all the way down his body, a stripped arm shooting back to hold the half-demon by his throat. "_Love?_" the youkai snarled abhorrently. "You think you could find _love_ with that whore? Did you even know her name, Inuyasha, before you took her to your bed?"

Sesshomaru leaned down, both brothers oblivious to the closeness of their bodies, the position they were in, and the female that had passed out from the flesh disintegrating power of the youkai's whip, entirely too taken up by each other to care about anything else.

Inuyasha bared his fangs at his sibling's close proximity, furious that the bastard had the audacity to act the way he was. Like he- Like he...

"Your body belongs to me, Inuyasha," a low growl shuddered between the two, barely an inch apart. "You forget that you are still young and under my care until you've reached maturity. I essentially own you. You are unable to make your own decisions... unable... to use your body the way you may wish to. You will obtain nothing without my consent. And I will. Not. Allow. You. To. Mate. That. Filthy. Female!"

"I can do whatever the hell I want with my body and anyone else's if I want, you stubborn, jerky, fucking, ass! If I wanna fuck then I'll damn well fucking fuck!" Inuyasha retorted, too far gone in his anger to care if what he said made sense.

"You will do as you're told. As you're commanded. Just as your body will do as I say, as I wish, _half-breed_," Sesshomaru barked, body pressing closer, sharp fangs nipping at the side of the half-demon's mouth, drawing blood.

Inuyasha's eyes shot wide, breath hitching as he felt a warm tongue laving up the blood that trickled down the side of his mouth. A tongue that was not his own. He asked slowly, careful not to open his mouth too wide lest that warm, wonderful... invading, _molesting_ tongue accidentally dipped into his mouth... "What... what the hell... are you-!"

"Hn," Sesshomaru snorted through his nose. "Keep your tongue between your teeth; I grow tired of your foul mouth, Inuyasha," the demon then said tersely, pushing himself up and looking down at the hanyou before slipping off his sibling to sit on the side of the bed. "You will not take the weight of an arranged mating onto your shoulders. That is a burden I will not allow you to bear, little brother. It is one I, however, will bind myself to and find a mate for myself, to ensure that you are not left in a loveless mating."

Inuyasha stared at his sibling, the words coming out of his brother's mouth... surreal... sad... Something... something was... "Why the hell would you do that?" _Why would you do it? Why, when this whole time you've been trying to get rid of me?_ the hanyou added silently.

A stretch of nothing but the light breeze outside was heard before the youkai answered, not looking at his sibling as he let slip the greatest truth with his greatest defeat.

"Because I love you."

* * *

_Chapter end._


	27. Affirmation

**Chapter 27: Affirmation**

[Flashback to the night before, just before bed]

"It's... It's so beautiful, Sesshomaru-sama!" the young female before him gushed, staring this way and that, trying to take in everything about the wonderful area around her. "What have you named it, my lord?"

Sesshomaru opened his mouth slightly to reply but paused as if he were unsure as to the garden's name.

"Sesshomaru-sama?"

"I have called it," the demon began as if he'd never paused, his attention focused back on his young ward, "Aki no Kodomo."**(1)**

Rin was silent, her back to him as she touched the flower in front of her softly before standing and looking at her lord, giving him a simple, good natured look, yet somehow knowing of things he believed were otherwise beyond her.

"_Autumn's Child..._" she murmured, rolling the name on her tongue before looking back at the unique, absolute beauty of the garden. "Hmm. That's a rather... appropriate name, I suppose. Comparably, both are certainly breathtaking, aren't they?"

Sesshomaru's eyes widening was imperceptible to any observing but Rin knew him well enough to have seen the slightest bit of surprise in his eyes at her admission, never mind the uncomfortable "eye twitch" he had always done whenever she'd say something completely unexpected from their earlier days spent together.

The daiyoukai took a dizzying breath at the woman-child's observation, as if to promptly dispel whatever power the girl had been given to be able to see into his thoughts. Though against his better judgment... he vocalized his reasoning for naming the garden what he did... something he'd never consciously admitted to before.

Until now.

"It... was during _his_ yearly mourning, I thought it only appropriate to name it as such-" Sesshomaru drew a breath in, only now realizing he'd faltered in his own distortion of the truth... to both Rin, and himself. He went silent, face vacant of emotion yet his eyes conveying his search for the answers he didn't initially know the questions to... answers which his unconscious (and self-preserving) mind had skewed and twisted into only a fragment of the true reason.

Why had he named this place what he had?

Eyes flicked left, and not a second later-

Ah. There it was... that was why.

It had been autumn, nearly a decade ago, when he had begun construction on these gardens. He had been in his study, preparing the final draft of what he wished it to look like when a guard had scrambled in without permission, whining his apologies for the rude and intrusive entrance but that he wished for Lord Sesshomaru to know his younger brother, the young lord, Inuyasha, had locked himself in the dojo, the moist, putrid scent of sickness and that of the hanyou, wafting through the air vents.

Sesshomaru had sent the guard with his final draft to the one that would physically build the garden for him before moving effortlessly toward his reeking dojo. When he'd arrived he'd had no qualms about ripping the wooden panels to the side, snapping them and stepping inside, not giving the debris a moment's notice. His sibling had started to protest stubbornly, albeit weakly, at the loud entry before his body decided to give up on the unnecessary struggle and instead relieve his gut of more vile fluids that stung both the demon lord's and the hanyou's noses.

As Inuyasha's body continued to pain him, Sesshomaru had stayed with him in the dojo... He had, in fact, stayed the entire night, allowing his sibling to reside where he wished for the time being, the youkai uttering understanding murmurs every now and then, enunciated by assuring caresses to a slightly arched and heaving back.

However, when the sun rose, the half-demon's eyes having been closed tiredly yet having still been in too much pain to fall asleep naturally, the demon continued his doting caresses near his sibling's face, his claws glowing green. The fumes that emitted, while usually noxious yet always potent in whatever intent he had when using them, were inhaled successfully, Inuyasha's restless eyelids having finally settled down just as the tightness that had been stiffening his body began to smooth out and soften, immobile appendages looking mercifully like that of a limp noodle.

And Sesshomaru had carried him back to his rooms where he had continued to stay with him throughout his yearly mourning, something his sibling, at the time, had had no knowledge of, and wouldn't for a few more years.

Sesshomaru's mind came back to the present.

That's why he had named the gardens what he did. Though it was only part of his reasoning, and while his conscious mind gave the name, the unconscious part of his mind had already given up... had already decided that the future's outcome held no hope... it's conclusion having been turned into an eternal resting place for the feelings that he hadn't then (and even now) really understood.

"Sesshomaru-sama," the girl interrupted the demon's ponderings politely, her tone concerned yet her face smiling fondly as she moved forward to stand before him. "I think..." she looked down momentarily, somewhat hesitant to speak as bold as she was about to. Rin drew a breath in. This needed to be said, her loving lord needed to hear this no matter what the consequences were (for him, her... or even the one in question).

She began again. "In my opinion, my lord, I think that you shouldn't bury your feelings away for him in this garden. It's too early to give up when you haven't even started."

Sesshomaru stood still, face vacant of expression, never once giving away the chaos inside.

"Good evening, Sesshomaru-sama." And with a respectful bow, Rin retired for the night, leaving the daiyoukai to his own thoughts and revelations.

* * *

Inuyasha's eyes shot wide, breath hitching as he felt a warm tongue laving up the blood that trickled down the side of his mouth. A tongue that was most definitely not his . He asked slowly, careful not to open his mouth too wide lest that warm, wonderful...- invading, _molesting_ tongue accidentally dipped into his mouth... "What... what the hell... are you-!"

"Hn," Sesshomaru snorted through his nose. "Keep your tongue between your teeth, Inuyasha; I grow tired of your foul mouth," the demon said tersely, pushing himself up and looking down at the hanyou before slipping off his sibling to sit on the side of the bed. "You will not take the weight of an arranged mating onto your shoulders. That is a burden I will not allow you to bear, little brother. It is one I, however, will bind myself to in order to ensure that you are not left in a loveless mating."

Inuyasha stared at his sibling, the words coming out of his brother's mouth so... surreal... sad...

Something... something was... "Why the hell would you do that?" _Why would you do it? Why, when this entire time you've been just trying to get rid of me?_ the hanyou added silently, not realizing his eyes betrayed everything he felt, including the things he didn't quite understand just yet.

A stretch of nothing but the light breeze outside was heard before the youkai answered, not chancing a look at his sibling as he let slip the greatest truth of his greatest defeat.

A defeat he would surrender to again and again, no matter the outcome of his next admission and the likeliness that he would spend the remainder of his lifetime incomplete.

"Because I love you."

* * *

_1 Day After Rin's Return_

(the Continuation of Chapter 26)**(2)**

"What... did you just say?" Inuyasha stammered, eyes glued to his sibling's deathly-still form.

The youkai did not answer and merely stared ahead into the new day, softly clicking his heel against the wooden floor. The hanyou's rapt attention was shortly deterred when guards entered his bed chambers, about to ask what the hell they thought they were doing before they nodded at some more than likely silent command on Sesshomaru's part and walked over toward the wall behind the brothers.

Inuyasha's eyes traveled with them, and when they landed on what they were beckoned in here to retrieve, he nearly lost his breath. "Gods..." he whispered in astonishment at the unconscious (and admittedly nameless) female he'd chosen out of a slew of all-too-willing participants, horrible burn marks slithering up her body like a long, thin snake had wrapped around her from head to toe, multiple times... a long, thin... poisonous, _burning_ snake...

The guards carefully picked her up and took her out of the room, the last the hanyou heard was one guard calling for the resident healer.

Inuyasha turned his head to his brother in disbelief. To have done that to a female Inuyasha was about to couple with... and then made that declaration of...

The half-demon shook his head tightly. What... on _earth_ could his sibling have been thinking?

"Sesshomaru. What did you-?"

"I will not repeat myself, Inuyasha. Just know that I will ensure you are... able to choose a mate within your own time frame, no one else's. All that I ask," the demon said slowly, "is that when you have made the choice of who your Intended shall be, that you... live away from the castle."

"What? Why!" the hanyou demanded, having sat upright by this point, forgetting all too quickly, and all too easily, that he was still naked beneath the thin linens. All other thoughts, of the scalded female, the embarrassment he felt when Rin burst through his door... all of it flew out of his mind in one instant in lieu of why his sibling would want such a thing... especially when he... when he just...

"Do not mistake my decision as some kind of punishment, Inuyasha. It is merely for the best," the daiyoukai concluded, silently and absently adding, _I do not want to live each day, seeing you with another. I wish not to covet... that which will not be within my grasp, power or right to have and take at whim. I... wish not to dwell on what could have been had I made different decisions earlier in life... _

_I want not... to dwell on what could... never _be.

"Sessh-..." Inuyasha began, trembling. His brother may have not been looking directly at him, but his visage... the look that misted over his eyes... the shadow that veiled that mist the next moment... The hanyou had never seen it on the demon before. Though... he had seen it on others. He knew it. That look... it was the look of someone who had lost hope or was in the process of losing it.

Inuyasha's eyebrows knit together in trembling alarm. He didn't like that look, and on his older brother no less. It was a face that made something sharp and painful strike at his chest, just between his ribs.

It had to go... he didn't want to see it. He needed to... wipe that look off his brother's face... he needed to-

"Hey," the half-demon said softly as he reached out, stroking the side of the youkai's face with the back of his hand before turning his claws around to tuck a few soft, stray tresses behind a pointed ear. It was then that Inuyasha's hand was caught, the hanyou blinking in surprise at his suddenly immobile appendage before his eyes traveled up to meet that of burnished gold. "What-...?" he asked, confused.

His brother didn't release his hold on him and instead merely loosened his grip and slid dangerous, tickling claws down to a slim wrist... holding Inuyasha's hand in front of his face, observing it as if for the first time.

"Inuyasha," the youkai said, still studying the slim hand he held within his own. "When did you gain the once presumably impossible ability to redirect yourself?"

Inuyasha stared. "What?" Well that was... random.

"In the years you have lived here in the castle, I have noticed a steady yet sure progression of controlling your emotions and thinking before speaking or acting."

Inuyasha growled, annoyed. "What the hell? You go all silent and weird and then go and say shit like that to me? Screw you, asshole!"

The youkai chuckled. "I meant no insult, Inuyasha, only that as a hanyou your blood runs from two different sources and thus your... impulses could go either way."

The half-demon continued to stare, not understanding whatever cryptic message his brother was trying to give him without actually saying it coherently. Though while he was frustrated, he remained silent, knowing there was a point in there somewhere. Hopefully.

"Humans tend to react instantaneously while youkai can usually retain their initial instinct. I had not come across, until you, one of either blood that could handle their emotions either way; they either did one or the other, never both."

"Uhh," the half-demon tried to say as the strong clawed hand that still held his wrist turned it this way and that, delicately applying pressure here, caressing a digit over a vein there...

"Inuyasha," the demon said a few moments later, asking for the hanyou's attention.

Inuyasha's eyes refocused, his mind clearing. And then he realized how close his brother had gotten. And just how overwhelming his presence truly was. "Se-sshomaru?" came the awkward reply, the half-demon's eyes widening, face flushing... body trembling when his wrist was pressed to the youkai's cheek, his brother seemingly nuzzling him in affection.

The demon smiled against the peach-tanned skin softly before saying, "You have grown up," his voice full of pride as his eyes peeked open to stare intently at the one before him.

"Sesshomaru... you...- Ah!" Inuyasha cried out, startled, when his brother reinstated the nuzzling of his wrist before brushing lips across the middle, tongue sneaking out for only a second before the daiyoukai's attention was caught by the oddly pleasing sound the hanyou made.

Their eyes met, and something stronger than anything they'd ever felt before rushed through their veins, heating their bodies up and igniting previously ignored, forgotten feelings

Sesshomaru's eyes lingered on his brother's yellow-gold eyes before dropping slowly downwards, completely mesmerized by the breath puffing out between two soft folds of mouth. Those lips were full... rosy... nearly breathless...

Inuyasha blushed, knowing this feeling yet not being able to fully process it since his mind (and heart rate) seemed to be going into overdrive. But Sesshomaru's eyes... his eyes had always been the color of steely gold... however now... now they were burning. It was like looking at the luminosity of a gold sword at the time it was being fired and assembled by a blacksmith... glowly... shiny... gold... scalding...

Not a moment later and they realized how close they'd moved to the other unconsciously; both having leaned forward, their faces only a head space apart, the closest either had ever gotten to the other in such a setting... and looking beyond everything else... beneath skin, muscle, bone... visually burrowing into the other's very soul.

Things suddenly slowed down, the pressure of whatever the hell was prickling in their arms, their veins... their bodies, threatening to drive either into some kind of impatient frenzy.

Inuyasha felt like he was... what had Kagome described him as having once... attention defeated hyperbole disorder?... Yeah. He felt like that. His mind, his body, everything needed to do SOMETHING or he felt as if he'd pop right out of his skin. He couldn't feel whether he was or not, but he was pretty sure in moments like this he'd be shaking his leg or his ears would be twitching this way and... that...

"Inuyasha..." the youkai breathed lowly, still transfixed by the hanyou's mouth.

Inuyasha's heart picked up the once-slackening pace, the low rumble of familiar syllables strangely...gratifying... intriguing... and... had Sesshomaru leant further in? Or was that him that just sucked in a shaky breath and disturbed either of their bangs?

He could hear two strong, pounding heartbeats in his ears, and it threatened everything else he could sense... all there was... was his brother. All there was... all that mattered... was Sesshomaru.

Inuyasha's breathing increased, mouth slightly parting in an attempt to take in more oxygen, pants heaving out in a shuddering whisper. _Gods, what... what the hell is happening?_ he wondered, entranced, his eyes darting all over his sibling's prominent features (noting that his brother wasn't nearly as composed as he liked to be renowned for), but always coming to a lingering end when soft, honey gold eyes met strong, burnished ones.

"In..." Sesshomaru's eyes closed, "u...", reveling in this closeness he'd never felt with anyone else before... "ya..." the mauve stripes on his eyelids momentarily covered his overly sensitized eyes.

It happened then in less than half a second.

Pointed ears twitched, eyebrows rising higher than he'd ever consciously remembered them going, when a gasp was heard and a warm mouth was suddenly pressing against his. Sesshomaru cracked his eyes open carefully, regardless of his surprise, marveling, though still thrown in a stupor, at the sight that greeted him.

Cheeks painted softly with an attractive shade of pink, eyes closed and eyebrows scrunched up in confused and determined passion,... was Inuyasha... Inuyasha, who had closed the remaining distance between them... Inuyasha who had... who was currently pressing an open hand to Sesshomaru's armorless chest... warmth flooding him from nearly every angle...

Inuyasha gasped then when he felt strong, sure fingers press softly against the flesh of his arm in reply, moving slowly upwards, caressing his neck, lightly tracing claws along a quivering jaw line... before brushing past a heated cheek and moving to dip around to the back of a full head of hair...

Sesshomaru pulled Inuyasha further forward suddenly, deepening the press of warm lips, drawing a surprised gasp from the younger inu as his sensuous tongue traced the slightly parted lips of the surprised hanyou's but not delving into the inviting depths. The youkai whirled with emotion and feeling, tingling with content as he felt the tentative yet passionately charged presses of palm to his chest, arms, back and then neck.

The point came when breath was needed but either brother refused to move further away than a hairsbreadth, lips still sticking to lips as warm breath pulled in and then pushed out, eyes closed and concentrating on the furious pounding of the other's heart beat, foreheads supporting the short break.

Moments passed, both still pressed against the other, still in seated positions upon the bed.

Gold eyes opened slowly, hazily.

"I think I..." Inuyasha began, staring at the pretty blush heating the great daiyoukai's cheeks and nose.

Burnished yellow orbs cracked open as well then.

"I think I might... have a tolerance for you..." was the response that spilled softly from the hanyou's lips as he turned his head to the side to speak more clearly but did not withdraw from his brother's immediate contact physically.

Sesshomaru chuckled deeply, softly, a lazy grin molding his mouth into amusement. "I believe, little brother," he began as he pulled himself up, aligning his mouth with a twitching, white ear, "that your sentiments are returned in full."

* * *

Author's Notes: Well, fuck, it was fun and... gods... intriguing to write, hopefully some emotion seeped in to you guys and heated your veins, huh? XD Thanks for everyone that reviewed the last chapter! It's sad to see this come to an end, but next chapter, Chapter 28, is THE END of DTB! It'll be great!... I hope.

**(1) Aki no Kodomo (Autumn's Child)**:Thanks so much to reviewers _amanichan_ and _Takumi Fujiwara_ for correcting my poor (aka non-existent) Japanese! You guys are LOVED lots! Thanks!

**(2)** If I haven't said this enough... this chapter is the second to last chapter. Thus meaning... next chapter, Chapter 28, is the LAST Chapter of Deeper Than Brotherhood. The Epilogue. The end. The conclusion. The 'Finite incata'- wait, that's an HP spell, I think... Wrong fandom! Anyway, you probably get the point. Chapter 28 is this story's END!(3)

**(3)** Are you freaking out yet? Good. XD Cause now is the time to reassure you that while DTB is essentially over and done with (my VERY FIRST complete chapter fic! EVAR!), there is and will be a sequel. Woo!

Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and thanks to everyone that's been following the fic, both reviewers and voyeurs! XD I love you all!


	28. Beginning, the Epilogue

**Chapter 28: Beginning (Epilogue)**

_Two months after Rin's Return_

"I can't believe it's taken two months to finally throw this thing!" Inuyasha griped in the dining hall, scowling at all the servants scurrying this way and that as he tucked his arms into the sleeves of his kimono.

"You keep saying that Inuyasha-san, but I think you're just about as excited for it as I am," Rin giggled, taking in the decorating as well.

"Keh, 'm not! It's just been forever since you got back and only now that jackass thinks to hold this thing?"

"Inuyasha-san, everything happens for a reason-"

"Reason my ass, he's just a lazy, stupid-"

"This occasion was pushed back for this long to accommodate the wishes of the guest of honor, Inuyasha," came a tight voice from behind the hanyou and young female, making them jump slightly at its sudden appearance.

"Oh, Sesshomaru-sama! When did you return from the East?" Rin asked, smiling widely and bowing before moving forward to grab the sleeve of his kimono without reserve (as she always did now in greeting).

"A few moments ago," the demon replied, looking down at the shorter being softly. "Are the arrangements to your liking so far?"

"Oh, yes! They're absolutely beautiful! I especially can't wait until I can put my new kimono on, too!" the girl gushed, glowing.

"Hm," the demon made an approving noise through his nose before turning his gaze to his little brother, still suffering from mental whiplash each time he set eyes on the hanyou.

While one look could ignite the warm want within the daiyoukai's belly it also brought on the old rivalry they'd always had, a good natured one but a rivalry nonetheless. He knew this particular feeling was mutual, for he could easily spot in Inuyasha's eyes the same desire... the same need to openly retaliate and fight the youkai, challenging him every step of the way... a sensual, underlying look further challenging the youkai to assert his role as head of house, as alpha of their clan, over the hanyou.

But their primal instincts were being denied, at least for the moment, while an acceptance of feelings between the brothers was ever present. The acknowledgement that their bond had become more than that of familial and becoming accustomed to it taking precedence over anything else for the time being, both agreeing that they'd take things slowly with one another, since such feelings of this intensity were so foreign yet still known of to either. Though both knew the day would soon come where they would begin to explore their physical attraction, just as they had explored their mental and emotional attraction years previous and to this day. However, until that time came, and as strange, surreal and quite possibly as awkward and exciting as it would be, they would relish every moment they spent in the other's presence.

And Sesshomaru would especially relish every single time he would assert dominance over the stubborn, feisty hanyou.

"My lord," came a voice from the side.

The youkai shook himself from the heated thoughts now forming in the back of his mind as he answered the bird youkai. "Yes, Teto?" the demon inquired without turning his immediate attention to one of his most trusted aids.

"The preparations are complete. Everything will begin as planned."

"Excellent," Sesshomaru replied and dismissed all within one word of approval. He turned his attentions to his ward and brother. "Rin, it is time for you to go and clean up. The ball will begin at twilight. See to it that you wait in your quarters until Inuyasha and I come to retrieve you."

"Yes, my lord," Rin answered before bowing and bounding none-too-lady-like out the door.

Inuyasha chuckled as Sesshomaru sighed at the sight.

"Feels like you're giving her away, doesn't it?" the half-demon asked as they began to walk out of the hall themselves.

"I would rather not dwell on the prospect of giving her away just yet, though I will admit it is highly probable there will be suitors making their intentions known this eve," Sesshomaru replied, his tone somewhat dejected.

Inuyasha could only stare at his brother in befuddlement. "You're serious? Youkai wanting to mate with her?"

"Not all youkai dislike humans, Inuyasha. Aside from that, it does have its merits. Not only would the suitor's family and he have a direct tie to the West, they would also gain a hefty title, no matter the station they came from."

"...and what about you? What do you get out of it?" Inuyasha asked skeptically. The brothers continued to walk down the corridors before coming to a stop between either of their chambers.

"Well," the demon began, the closest thing to a wicked grin passing over his face for only a moment. "I will have the satisfaction of keeping Rin as close to the palace as possible."

"Ah, so, you'd be able to keep an eye on her if the guy was incompetent in keeping her safe," came the hanyou's unsurprised voice.

"That and if he happens to break her heart, he would be within reach for me to crush his own," Sesshomaru added as he went through and closed the shoji to his room after him.

Inuyasha shook his head, snickering to himself as he walked into his own room to get ready for the night's festivities, what his brother confessed still lingering in his head.

While he was equally as protective of the girl and her happiness as his sibling, he knew Sesshomaru would hold no qualms over literally ripping layer of flesh after layer of flesh off the one that won Rin's heart should he break it, regardless if it was unintentional or not.

And whenever the time came that Rin did fall in love... well, the hanyou felt bad for whomever that poor sap would happen to be; the guy'd have to have one hell of a spine to not want to willingly pull it out himself at even one of Sesshomaru's intimidating looks the youkai would most assuredly send his way, just daring him to step one toe out of line and hurt his "little girl".

Inuyasha on the other hand would be a tad more discreet.

He'd simply verbally threaten the guy whenever Rin was out of hearing range, and, in the case of breaking the girl's heart... well, the hanyou would just settle for ramming Tetsusaiga in the "lucky male's" chest. And then of course Sesshomaru could revive the jerk and then kill him again with Bakusaiga.

Inuyasha grinned to himself as he slipped into the adjoining hot springs, fantasizing about different scenarios were some boy to ever hurt the young woman who'd become so precious to not only his brother and him, but to the Household of the West, too.

* * *

The ball had been going for more than an hour, couples dancing, families conversing with one another and many a young adolescent, male or female, having at one time or another, gone up to and had began conversing with Rin.

Inuyasha had been surprised when he'd seen the first female youkai go up to the girl, both embracing like they were long lost friends, which, when he later inquired, his brother had told him the two had been and were friends since he'd introduced Rin into his home.

It was an awe-inspiring thing to witness in the half-demon's mind, youkai and humans being... friends. Granted, he'd seen it a fair few times but the fact that nobles like the guests in attendance this night and Rin? Being friendly with one another? It had just been a shock. And now the little girl turned young woman was finishing up a dance with a young _noble male_ from the one of the Northern clans of inu youkai.

As she swayed gracefully toward the brothers, greeting random people, Inuyasha couldn't help but notice the proud look his brother held as she easily adapted to youkai customs even though her mortality and instincts were human. Such a look was fairly catching if the dumb grin Inuyasha felt form on his face was anything to go by.

"Sesshomaru-sama! Inuyasha-san! Did you see? I was able to remember all the steps to the dance!" Rin beamed, taking a seat next to her caretakers in the front of the room.

"You did very well, Rin. I was impressed," the daiyoukai admitted, pausing in his current reading material of 'guest requests', his comment causing the girl to snap her mouth shut and blush heavily. Never had she received such a high compliment from her lord!

"Ya know, if you don't breathe, I hear it can be bad for your health, kid," Inuyasha laughed as Rin sucked in a breath.

"Inuyasha-san!" the girl chastised, blush still highly evident on the top of her cheekbones.

"Hmm," came a murmur to their side. Sesshomaru regarded the many letter requests he'd received in the last hour since the guests had started showing up.

"What's got you all worked up?" Inuyasha asked his brother while dodging an 'accidental' kick from Rin's foot to his shin.

The demon inclined his head to his brother and ward, making a quick observation that one of the young male nobles seemed to have taken an interest in Rin. He went on to inform them of the request he'd received from the family of the young male Rin had just danced with. They expressed how taken he has been with her since he'd met her over a decade ago, and how they hoped a union could possibly be kept in mind for the two in the immediate future.

"Perhaps an engagement is in the making?" Sesshomaru said, mostly to himself.

Inuyasha, on the other hand was not as politically correct as his high-standing sibling and instead chose to glare at the boy in question who had been peeking glances at Rin from the other side of the room. He growled lowly, "Well I think the little shit oughtta keep his hands and his proposals to himself."

"I..." Rin started.

"Inuyasha, you cannot expect Rin to remain unmated for the rest of her life."

"I sure as hell can! She's too young anyway, who says she has to mate now?"

"She is nearly an adult according to human standards, and as an orphan under the care of a youkai, regardless that she is human, is considered an adult according to youkai laws."

"That means shit! If she-"

"Inuyasha-san, Sesshomaru-sama, I-" Rin tried again.

"Do not fool yourself, little brother. Whether we like it or not, the time will come when she-"

"I already am!" Rin raised her voice so she was overheard by the two brother's, none of the nearby guests privy to their conversation thankfully.

"Already what?" Inuyasha asked, turning his head to regard her. Sesshomaru's attentions were equally ensnared.

"I am already... _engaged_."

* * *

Inuyasha came limping up to his brother who resided in the doorway leading out to one of the corridors, hidden mostly from the sight of those within the great hall though they themselves did not escape Sesshomaru's keen eyes.

The youkai raised an eyebrow at his sibling.

"Uh..." the hanyou trailed off, trying to think of the best way to put this without sounding too much like a wimp.

"I take it Rin has declined your request of informing us of who her Intended is?"

"More like, _ow_- More like outright DENIED, at least until "the time comes". And fuck! She may be a girl but damnit can she kick!" Inuyasha nearly whined as he leaned against the door frame, rubbing at his sore ankle. "Seriously, next time you want someone to do your dirty work, do it yourself. You're less likely to get kicked in the shin with that whole killing persona you got going on."

"You should know better than to incur a female's wrath, Inuyasha, or did the rosary beads teach you nothing?" the demon said, amused with his brother's situation despite the concern he himself harbored over Rin's declaration of engagement and lack of who exactly it was she had fallen in love with and wished to mate.

At a grumbled, "Keh," the youkai continued. "Or perhaps you find pain as a... stimulant?"

"Why on earth would I find pain as a..." Inuyasha's eyes widened as he bloomed a cherry red. "You sick bastard! If I wasn't half handicapped right now I'd kick you in the ankles till you were as crippled as me!"

"Hn, indeed." Sesshomaru could have rolled his eyes, his brother more perverse than he seeing as how he meant he was spurred on by pain, or wasn't hindered at all by it, when it came to saving his comrades time and time again back during the days of the Shikon no Tama. Though perhaps, the demon thought amusedly, his brother would prove to be entertaining as they continued to explore the boundaries (or lack there of) of their relationship, especially where 'pain' was considered, and where it was not.

"Beautiful, isn't she?" the hanyou commented, perversion all but forgotten for the moment.

Sesshomaru left his thoughts behind him as he regarded the object of Inuyasha's appraisal. "Yes, she is."

"Makes you wonder, huh?"

"Hm? Concerning what?"

"That if a human as small and as young as she can feel such a huge and complicated emotion like love, whether its for you, or me, or her friends, or... whoever the hell this guys she's engaged to is... and then have taken _us_ to task about it... then maybe... it really is possible for... uh..."

Sesshomaru smiled ever so slightly, suggesting, "For us, you mean?"

Inuyasha's eyes widened as he looked away awkwardly, uncomfortable yet excited by the youkai's response. "Y-yeah. Or something... like that..."

Sesshomaru continued to grin as he leant into his sibling's body lightly, nudging the younger inu with a shoulder.

"Little brother, surely that doesn't frighten you, does it?"

Inuyasha, as expected, rose to glorifying response. "'course not!"

"Hmmm, of course not. Someone as fearless as you... could surely face any challenge that presented itself to you, correct?"

"Definit-... hey, what- what are you doin'?"

A devious grin stretched upon the daiyoukai's face as he nudged his sibling further into the shadowed hallway, away from any wandering guests and prying eyes. He moved until his face was directly in front of Inuyasha's, mouth hovering, preparing for descent. Hot breath moistened the anxious hanyou's lips.

The hanyou quivered in his confined space, staring at the eyes that usually showed few emotions... eyes that were now full of feelings, ones understood and ones that were unknown... ones that they would strive to learn together for hence forth.

Sesshomaru caressed the side of his younger brother's face before he finally leaned down and pressed his mouth to Inuyasha's, bending in and reveling in their new beginning together, of a bond that was...

..._deeper than brotherhood_.

**THE END.**

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* * *

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Author's Notes: Thank you to everyone that has reviewed and read DTB! You guys totally made this fic possible to complete and are the entire reason there will even be a sequel! So thank you! The sequel will touch on a lot of things that any reviewer has asked me about in a review or email, that's the whole reason there's a sequel, since there are still many thing left unanswered! For sneak peeks like title, summary and a snippet of the sequel's first chapter, check out my LJ! Again, thanks so much to all of you that have supported the fic right up until its end (and hopefully further into its sequel)!**  
**


	29. AN: DTB 2 has begun

_6.21.09_

So this is long overdue X3 Buuuttt... two important things to tap on.

First, if you really liked DTB, you may be interested to know that -gasp!- I'm doing a doujin (rather comic) of it! You can see it at about three locations on the net (officially): my dA page, my LJ and or at y!Gallery. Check it out at my LJ (which you can find a link to via my profile page here on FF).

Second,Part 2 of Deeper Than Brotherhood has already begun! The official title of the second part is:

**Deeper Than Brotherhood, Part 2: Bonds of Resonance**

Catchy, huh? XP I was going to just name it "Bonds of Resonance" without the "Deeper Than Brotherhood, Part 2" bit, but then it'd feel more like a sequel than it actually is (I don't care how many of you have convinced yourself it's a sequel, I'm totally sticking to the "it's just part 2 of DTB, the shounenai and yaoi portions of the story separated" explanation, so ha!).

As of this updated note, part 2 has two chapters :D Techncially by the time anyone reads this though it'll probably have 3+ chapters (cause I'm like, 90% done with ch 3)... but hopefully if you decided you liked DTB with only shounen ai, you'll like DTB 2 with the yaoi and the apex of the drama 8D You can find it here on FF, though some future chapters may be edited and lack parts of the yaoi depending on how hot and heavy and descriptive I may get... but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it, nya?

Hope you enjoyed DTB and thank you for reading!! (Now go read Part 2 and check out the first part's doujin/comic!)

-DM


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